View source for Bloomfield College

{{Short description|Public college in Bloomfield, New Jersey, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Bloomfield College of Montclair State University
 | image                  = 
 | image_size             = 
 | former_name            = {{ubl|German Theological School (1868–1913)|Bloomfield College and Seminary (1913–1961)}}
 | caption                = 
 | latin_name             = 
 | motto                  = Lux In Tenebris
 | mottoeng               = Light in the Darkness
 | established            = {{start date and age|1868}}
 | type                   = [[Public college]]
 | academic_affiliation   = [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program|Space-grant]]
 | parent                 = [[Montclair State University]]
 | religious_affiliation  = [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]]
 | endowment              = 
 | president              = [[Marcheta P. Evans]]
 | faculty                = 181
 | undergrad              = 1,598
 | city                   = [[Bloomfield, New Jersey]]
 | country                = United States
 | coor                   = 
 | campus                 = Suburban
 | campus_size            = {{Convert|12|acre}}
 | colors                 = {{color box|#a4343a}}&nbsp;{{color box|#f3d03e}} Red and yellow
 | sports_nickname        = Bears
 | mascot                 = Deacon the Bear<ref>Feitl, Steve. [https://www.app.com/story/sports/2014/08/25/monmouth-coach-bbq-fest-preview-coming-jersey-sports-rant/14595215/ "Monmouth coach, BBQ Fest preview coming to Jersey Sports Rant"], ''[[Asbury Park Press]]'', August 25, 2014. Accessed June 6, 2023. "But Bloomfield College athletic director Sheila Wooten also visited and brought along the school's brand-new mascot Deacon the Bear for his first off-campus visit."</ref>
 | athletics_affiliations = [[USCAA Division 1]], [[United States Collegiate Athletic Association|USCAA]], [[New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women|NJAIAW]]
 | website                = {{url|https://www.bloomfield.edu/|bloomfield.edu}}
 | logo                   = 
 | logo_size              =
 | footnotes              = 
}}

'''Bloomfield College of Montclair State University''' is a [[public college]] in [[Bloomfield, New Jersey|Bloomfield]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Jersey]]. It is chartered by the State of New Jersey and [[Higher education accreditation in the United States|accredited]] by the [[Middle States Commission on Higher Education]]. The school became part of Montclair State University starting in July 2023,<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Bloomfield College |url=https://www.bloomfield.edu/about/history-of-bloomfield-college/ |website=Bloomfield College of Montclair State University |access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> before which it had been a private college affiliated with the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]] through the Synod of the Northeast.<ref>[https://www.montclair.edu/bloomfield/ Bloomfield College of Montclair State University], [[Montclair State University]]. Accessed August 14, 2023. "On July 1, 2023, Bloomfield College officially became part of Montclair State University."</ref><ref>Koruth, Mary Ann. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/education/2023/07/05/bloomfield-college-merger-montclair-state-university/70382723007/ "Bloomfield College just merged with Montclair State University. What it means for students"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', July 5, 2023. Accessed August 14, 2023. "A merger with Montclair State University has given a new lease on life to Bloomfield College, a small, financially-strapped private college serving mostly low-income Black and Hispanic students in Essex County, saving it from shutting its doors. Bloomfield College, among the state's oldest private minority-serving institutions enrolling about 1,200 students, officially merged with Montclair State, a public research university serving 21,800 students, on July 1."</ref>

Bloomfield College is the only 4-year college in New Jersey recognized simultaneously as a [[Historically_black_colleges_and_universities#Predominantly_black_institutions|Predominantly Black Institution]], Hispanic Serving Institution, and Minority Serving Institution.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Bloomfield College |url=https://www.bloomfield.edu/about/history-of-bloomfield-college/ |website=Bloomfield College of Montclair State University |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref>

==History==
Bloomfield College was founded by the [[Presbyterian Church]] in 1868 as German Theological Seminary of [[Newark, New Jersey]], to train German-speaking ministers. It moved to Bloomfield in 1872 and became four-year college in 1923.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} In 1912 it absorbed the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, founded in 1912 in nearby Newark.<ref>[https://bloomfield.edu/about-us/news/fran-mclaughlin-be-honored-bloomfield-colleges-upcoming-nursing-reception Cook, Alicia. "Fran McLaughlin to be Honored at Bloomfield College's Upcoming Nursing Reception" Bloomfield College; April 13, 2018]</ref>

The school's enrollment peaked in 2011. In October 2021, the school announced that it could close in 2022-2023 if it did not find financial help.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitford |first1=Emma |title=Without Financial Help, Bloomfield College Risks Closure |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/10/20/bloomfield-college-seeks-partner-avoid-shutting-down?mc_cid=cce2a56570&mc_eid=92b3e8a476 |website=www.insidehighered.com |publisher=Inside Higher Education |access-date=20 October 2021}}</ref>

In March 2022, [[Montclair State University]] announced that it would financially support the college until a merger was agreed upon. The merger was officially announced on October 28, 2022, under which the college would become Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/10/26/montclair-state-and-bloomfield-announce-merger|access-date=28 October 2022 |title=Montclair State and Bloomfield Announce Merger }}</ref> The merger was completed in July 2023.

==Academics==
The college offers primarily undergraduate studies, but it has added master's programs in Accounting, Fine Arts, and Education. The college is [[Higher education accreditation in the United States|accredited]] by the [[Middle States Commission on Higher Education]].

Bloomfield College has approximately 1,598 students and about 65% of the students are commuters. Its gender composition is 63 percent female and 37 percent male.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomfield College |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/bloomfield-college-2597 |website=www.usnews.com |publisher=US New |access-date=20 October 2021}}</ref> Its racial and ethnic composition is 48 percent black, 33 percent Hispanic, 9 percent white, and 2 percent Asian. Seventy-eight percent of the students were eligible for low-income Pell Grants. The academic staff consists of 60 full-time instructors and 120 part-time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomfield College |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=bloomfield+college&s=all&id=183822#general |website=nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator |publisher=US Department of Education |access-date=20 October 2021}}</ref>

Bloomfield College has a graduation rate of 33 percent. Median salary after attending ranged from $18,548 (BA, Visual and Performing Arts) to $77,966 (BS, Nursing). Median student debt ranged from $26,000 to $33,912. Two years after student loan repayment began, 11 percent were making progress.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomfield College |url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/search/?search=bloomfield%20college&page=0&sort=completion_rate:desc&toggle=institutions |website=collegescorecard.ed.gov |publisher=US Department of Education |access-date=20 October 2021}}</ref>

In its 2022 college rankings, ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' ranked Bloomfield College tied for 27th place for social mobility.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomfield College's 2022 Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/bloomfield-college-2597 |website=www.usnews.com |publisher=US News |access-date=20 October 2021}}</ref>

==Athletics==
Bloomfield College of Montclair State University athletic teams previously competed in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]]'s [[NCAA Division II|Division II]], as members of the [[Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference]] (CACC). Men's sports included baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, and track and field; while women's sports included basketball, bowling, cross country, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball. Beginning with the 2025–2026 academic year, the Bears will transition out of NCAA Division II and compete in Division I of the [[United States Collegiate Athletic Association]] (USCAA) as part of the North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletics (NACIA), a USCAA Division I league. This move is part of a broader athletic realignment following the institution’s merger with Montclair State University.

=== Move to USCAA ===
Bloomfield College of Montclair State University announced on July 15, 2025, that it would transition from NCAA Division II to compete in the USCAA Division 1, beginning a multi-year process aimed at elevating its athletic programs. The school plans to compete as a member of USCAA Division 1 starting with the 2025–26 season, positioning itself among other competitive programs within the association.

As part of this transition, Bloomfield College is committed to supporting its student-athletes by providing competitive opportunities and academic resources throughout the process, ensuring a smooth and successful integration into USCAA Division 1 competition.<ref>https://bcbearsathletics.com/news/2025/7/15/general-bloomfield-college-of-montclair-state-university-athletics-to-transition-to-uscaa-affiliation.aspx {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref>

==Westminster Arts Center==
Bloomfield College is home to the Westminster Arts Center.<ref>[https://bloomfield.edu/westminster-arts-center The Westminster Arts Center]</ref>

==Notable alumni==
{{Category see also|Bloomfield College alumni}}
* [[C. Louis Bassano]], politician<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19980225003525/http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/html98/bassano.htm C. Louis Bassano], [[New Jersey Legislature]], archived by the [[Internet Archive]] on February 25, 1998. Accessed May 25, 2010.</ref>
* [[Ralph R. Caputo]], politician<ref>[http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg=286 Assemblyman Ralph R. Caputo (D)], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed July 25, 2018. "Education: B.A. Bloomfield College (History/Education)"</ref>
* [[Rupert Crosse]], actor<ref>{{cite journal|date=1973-03-29|title=Television's Rupert Crosse Dies of Cancer In Jamaica|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MbEDAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Rupert+Crosse%22&pg=PA59 |journal=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|volume=44|issue=1|pages=59|issn=0021-5996}}</ref>
* [[Sandra Bolden Cunningham]], politician<ref>[https://senatorcunningham.com About Sandra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807055633/http://senatorcunningham.com/ |date=2018-08-07 }}, Senator Sandra Cunningham. Accessed July 25, 2018. "Sandra Bolden Cunningham is a New Jersey native, who grew up in Newark and now lives in Jersey City. She is a graduate of Bloomfield College where she earned a B.A. Degree."</ref>
* [[Gage Daye]], professional basketball player<ref>Cook, Alicia. [https://www.bloomfield.edu/about-us/news/men’s-basketball’s-leading-scorer-establishes-scholarship-bloomfield-college "Basketball’S Leading Scorer Establishes Scholarship At Bloomfield College"]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Bloomfield College. Accessed July 23, 2018. "Star athlete and Bloomfield College alumnus, Gage Daye, has established a scholarship at his alma mater designed for students hailing from Newark, New Jersey."</ref>
* [[Nacho Díez]], professional basketball player<ref>[https://bcbearsathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1401 Ignacio Diez], Bloomfield College. Accessed July 24, 2018.</ref>
* [[Ted Koffman]], politician<ref>[https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/36596/ted-koffman#.W1ZWaTpKjDc Ted Koffman's Biography], [[Vote Smart]]. Accessed July 24, 2018. "Birth Place: Morristown, NJ... Education... BA, Bloomfield College, 1968"</ref>
* [[David Stergakos]], professional basketball player<ref>Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/18/sports/greeks-show-basketball-skill.html "Greeks Show Basketball Skill"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', November 18, 1987. Accessed July 25, 2018. "In the mid-1970s, Stergakos played four years with Bloomfield College in New Jersey, and in 1978, became a fourth-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics."</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{ccat}}
* {{oweb}}
* [https://bcbearsathletics.com/ Athletics website]

{{Colleges and universities in New Jersey}}
{{Presbyterian Colleges}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|40.795|-74.195|region:US-NJ_type:edu|display=inline,title}}

[[Category:Bloomfield College| ]]
[[Category:Bloomfield, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1868]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Essex County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1868 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)]]
[[Category:Private universities and colleges in New Jersey]]