Bloomfield College of Montclair State University is a public college in Bloomfield, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is chartered by the State of New Jersey and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The school became part of Montclair State University starting in July 2023,[2] before which it had been a private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) through the Synod of the Northeast.[3][4]

Bloomfield College
Former name
  • German Theological School (1868–1913)
  • Bloomfield College and Seminary (1913–1961)
MottoLux In Tenebris
Motto in English
Light in the Darkness
TypePublic college
Established1868; 156 years ago (1868)
Parent institution
Montclair State University
Religious affiliation
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Academic affiliation
Space-grant
PresidentMarcheta P. Evans
Academic staff
181
Undergraduates1,598
Location,
United States
CampusSuburban, 12 acres (4.9 ha)
Colors    Red and yellow
NicknameBears
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II, CACC, NJAIAW
MascotDeacon the Bear[1]
Websitebloomfield.edu

Bloomfield College is the only 4-year college in New Jersey recognized simultaneously as a Predominantly Black Institution, Hispanic Serving Institution, and Minority Serving Institution.[5]

History

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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] In 1912 it absorbed the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, founded in 1912 in nearby Newark.[6]

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.[7]

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.[8] The merger was completed in July 2023.

Academics

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The college offers primarily undergraduate studies, but it has added master's programs in Accounting, Fine Arts, and Education. The college is 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.[9] 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.[10]

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.[11]

In its 2022 college rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Bloomfield College tied for 27th place for social mobility.[12]

Athletics

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Bloomfield College teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II. The Bears are a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, and track and field; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball.

Westminster Arts Center

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Bloomfield College is home to the Westminster Arts Center.[13]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ Feitl, Steve. "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."
  2. ^ "History of Bloomfield College". Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. ^ 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."
  4. ^ Koruth, Mary Ann. "Bloomfield College just merged with Montclair State University. What it means for students", 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."
  5. ^ "History of Bloomfield College". Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  6. ^ Cook, Alicia. "Fran McLaughlin to be Honored at Bloomfield College's Upcoming Nursing Reception" Bloomfield College; April 13, 2018
  7. ^ Whitford, Emma. "Without Financial Help, Bloomfield College Risks Closure". www.insidehighered.com. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Montclair State and Bloomfield Announce Merger". Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Bloomfield College". www.usnews.com. US New. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Bloomfield College". nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator. US Department of Education. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Bloomfield College". collegescorecard.ed.gov. US Department of Education. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Bloomfield College's 2022 Rankings". www.usnews.com. US News. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  13. ^ The Westminster Arts Center
  14. ^ C. Louis Bassano, New Jersey Legislature, archived by the Internet Archive on February 25, 1998. Accessed May 25, 2010.
  15. ^ Assemblyman Ralph R. Caputo (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed July 25, 2018. "Education: B.A. Bloomfield College (History/Education)"
  16. ^ "Television's Rupert Crosse Dies of Cancer In Jamaica". Jet. 44 (1). Johnson Publishing Company: 59. 1973-03-29. ISSN 0021-5996.
  17. ^ About Sandra Archived 2018-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, 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."
  18. ^ Cook, Alicia. "Basketball’S Leading Scorer Establishes Scholarship At Bloomfield College", 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."
  19. ^ Ignacio Diez, Bloomfield College. Accessed July 24, 2018.
  20. ^ Ted Koffman's Biography, Vote Smart. Accessed July 24, 2018. "Birth Place: Morristown, NJ... Education... BA, Bloomfield College, 1968"
  21. ^ Staff. "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."
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40°47′42″N 74°11′42″W / 40.795°N 74.195°W / 40.795; -74.195