In late December, 2023, we put out an all-call. The idea was simple. Thanks to a generous donation from Physician’s Computer Company, the first BCL groups had a tradition of sharing pizzas by the American Flatbread hearth…but thanks to COVID, it had been years since we had convened there. Now, finally, it felt like it was time. We aimed for a time when BCL alumni would be home from college…but how many would show up? Thanks to emails, texts, an Instagram post, and a last-minute word-of-mouth surge, we made it happen. And sixty-seven alumni came. 

Students knew the others who were in their BCL cohort, and they knew a few others from adjacent BCL programs — but most didn’t know one another. What explains the urge to gather? I’ll venture that although the attendees appreciated BCL’s unique experiential design, real-world curriculum, and impactful projects, the real reason runs deeper. When they are in BCL, students feel seen. They belong. 

What are the ingredients? What helps students feel so connected to one another and to a program that may be years in their rearview mirror? One element is that in the course of a semester, we have countless fresh experiences together. Novelty is the stimulus, and mutuality is the glue. We also keep it light. Humans take more risks when they can laugh together, so we do our best to create the conditions for levity.

In BCL12, this has taken many forms. Maybe it’s best to let the images do the talking.