Loyola University receives $12 million gift to establish Bloomfield Hall, create scholarship opportunities 

Loyola University Maryland received its third multi-million-dollar gift in the past two months as it announced Jan. 21 that it received a $12 million commitment from Bill and Susan S. Bloomfield. 

The largest gift ever to the school will support the expansion of Donnelly Science Center and establish the Bloomfield First-Generation Scholarship. The addition to Donnelly Science Center will be named Bloomfield Hall in recognition of their support.

In December, the university announced a $10 million gift from Patricia and John R. Cocharn II and another $10 million gift from Ellen and H. Edward Hanway.

The donation from the Bloomfields comes at a time when the North Baltimore school is focusing on increasing its offerings in health sciences and STEM fields. Loyola broke ground on the 18,200-square-foot addition to Donnelly Science Center in the summer of 2024. Bloomfield Hall, which opened for classes at the start of the Spring 2026 semester, adds research labs, teaching labs, and student lounge and study space to the building.

The Bloomfield First-Generation Scholarship will provide support to students who are the first in their families to attend college.

“We are deeply moved by Susan and Bill’s historic commitment to Loyola University Maryland. Their $12 million gift helps to position the university as a leader in STEM disciplines and in advancing student success,” said Terrence M. Sawyer, president of Loyola, in a news release. “We are honored and thrilled to celebrate the largest gift in Loyola’s history – and to realize the impact it will have on generations of students. On behalf of all those who will benefit from Bill and Susan’s transformational support, I want to thank them for their belief in the power of a Loyola education.”

Susan Bloomfield is the former general manager of Neutrogena Corp. She earned her MBA from Loyola’s Sellinger School of Business and Management in 1994, and credits much of her professional and personal success to her Loyola education.

Since earning her Loyola degree, Bloomfield has remained actively involved with the university and has served on its board of trustees since 2022. 

“Susan and Bill have a long history of generous philanthropy and leadership rooted in their deep commitment to expanding access to education. They are passionate about addressing educational inequalities – and they want to bring about meaningful change,” said Brian M. Oakes, Loyola’s vice president of advancement in a news release. “This is an incredible time at Loyola with new programs and new offerings, and our alumni are responding to that in extremely positive ways. The significance of this historic gift lies not only in its power to elevate academic excellence at Loyola, but also in its capacity to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.”

Susan Bloomfield said her own Loyola experience inspired her and Bill’s decision to make the largest gift in the university’s history. 

“Our gift stems from gratitude, pride and confidence,” Bloomfield said in a news release. “I am grateful because I would not have been nearly as successful or impactful in my career without my Loyola education. I am extremely proud of my Loyola education and proud of Loyola’s success in preparing students for the challenges of tomorrow’s world.”

Bloomfield notes that her confidence in the university’s trajectory and momentum, when combined with her gratitude and pride, cemented her and Bill’s desire to make this gift.

“I am quite confident in the direction that the university is headed and the strategic decisions that have been made to ensure a robust future,” she added. “I am extraordinarily impressed with the results that Loyola is able to achieve with the success of its students.”

Nearly 99 percent of Loyola graduates are employed or continuing education soon after graduation, according to the school.

The addition of Bloomfield Hall signals sustained growth in the sciences at Loyola – demonstrated by the introduction of new programs such as the bachelor of science in nursing – and complements the university’s current STEM facilities in Knott Hall and the renovated Donnelly Science Center.

“Supporting first-generation students while also growing STEM and health elevates the thriving academic environment at Loyola and demonstrates their profound commitment to educational equality,” said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president.

For Susan Bloomfield, her inspiration to support first-generation students is a personal one, driven by her own experience as a first-generation college graduate.

“I know firsthand that there are unique challenges that face first-generation students who don’t have a family experience to lean on,” Susan Bloomfield said. “We know that education changes lives generationally. It’s been said that education is the great equalizer. I want to create more access and help fulfill prospective students’ dreams of getting not just any education, but a quality education. I also believe that Loyola is uniquely equipped to support first-gen students because of its values and relentless focus on student success, which is supported by my own experience.”

First-generation students make up a significant portion of Loyola’s student body, including 21 percent of the class of 2029 and 22 percent of the class of 2028. The class of 2027 features the highest percentage of first-generation students on record at Loyola with 26 percent.

Bloomfield earned a bachelor’s degree in international business and marketing from The Ohio State University. Since her retirement from Neutrogena, she has served on several corporate and nonprofit boards focused on public education and eliminating educational inequality. Her husband is a retired business owner and entrepreneur who is also a community leader and philanthropist.

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