Bloomfield College was lurching toward closure until Montclair State University stepped in. The presidents of both institutions reflect on the unlikely merger of a private college and a public university. Nearly two years ago, Bloomfield College president Marcheta Evans put out a call for help. Her college—a minority-serving institution in New Jersey founded in 1868—faced serious financial issues. Without philanthropic support or a strategic alliance, Bloomfield College was in danger of closing. So Evans, only two years into the job, went public with her plea for a partner. “If we don’t succeed, so much will be lost. And I’m going to start first off with my students; the biggest casualty will be our students’ dreams and their aspirations,” Evans told Inside Higher Ed in late 2021.
