Bloomfield College was a private liberal arts college in Bloomfield, New Jersey, whose athletics program competed in NCAA Division II as a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). In August 2014, the institution announced it would be known as the Bloomfield College Bears, unveiling a new primary logo for the 2014-2015 academic year. The change replaced the school’s previous nickname, the Deacons, and was accompanied by a licensed, trademarked logo system that included a secondary crest and a tertiary bear paw mark. The mascot character, named Deacon, was introduced as a family-friendly version of the primary logo, a nod to the College’s Presbyterian roots and its previous mascot. [1]
Design and History
The rebranding was announced on August 25, 2014, and was framed by then-President Richard Levao as a way to preserve the tradition of the 150-year-old College while bringing fresh perspectives to its spirit and mission. Director of Athletics Sheila Wooten described the new look as an opportunity to create a bridge between alumni, current and prospective students, while remembering the school’s roots as the Deacons. [1]
The decision to adopt the Bears nickname was tied to the local environment: black bears are indigenous to the area where the College is located. The project was developed over more than a year and was completed in June 2014, ahead of its public unveiling. [2]
Bloomfield College’s athletics program continued under the Bears identity until the institution merged with Montclair State University. The merger was officially announced on October 28, 2022, and was completed in July 2023, with the college becoming Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The primary logo was part of a coordinated identity system that included a secondary crest displaying the College’s initials and a tertiary mark displaying a bear paw. The mascot character, Deacon the Bear, was named to honor the College’s Presbyterian heritage and its former Deacons nickname. [1]
Typography and Design
The College’s official colors were red and yellow. [4] The archived Wikipedia entry for the College also documented the colors as red (PMS 1807) and yellow (PMS 129). [5] No designer or agency attribution for the 2014 logo has been publicly documented in the available sources.
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