$30 million gift from Bloomberg co-founder Tom Secunda to build a national center for responsible AI
Loyola University Maryland has received a landmark $12 million gift from alumna Susan S. Bloomfield and her husband, Bill Bloomfield—the largest individual donation in the university’s history—marking a major investment in science education and access for first-generation college students.
The gift supports a significant expansion of the Donnelly Science Center and establishes the Bloomfield First-Generation Scholarship, aimed at students who are the first in their families to attend college.
The 18,200-square-foot addition, known as Bloomfield Hall, opened for classes at the start of the Spring 2026 semester after construction began in summer 2024.
The new facility adds advanced research and teaching laboratories, along with dedicated student lounge and study space, strengthening Loyola’s growing STEM and health sciences infrastructure.
University leaders said the donation positions Loyola to expand academic excellence while advancing equity and student success. President Terrence M. Sawyer called the Bloomfields’ commitment transformative, noting that it will shape opportunities for generations of students and reinforce Loyola’s momentum in science, health, and research-driven education.
Susan Bloomfield, a former general manager of Neutrogena Corporation, credits her Loyola education with playing a defining role in her professional success. Since earning her MBA from Loyola’s Sellinger School of Business and Management in 1994, she has remained closely involved with the university and joined its Board of Trustees in 2022. She said the decision to make the historic gift grew out of gratitude for her education, pride in the university’s evolution, and confidence in its future direction.
A central focus of the gift is support for first-generation students, an issue Bloomfield says is deeply personal.
As a first-generation college graduate herself, she said she understands the challenges students face when navigating higher education without family experience to draw upon, and believes access to a high-quality education can change families and communities across generations.
First-generation students represent a substantial and growing share of Loyola’s student population, accounting for more than one-fifth of recent incoming classes, with the Class of 2027 marking the highest proportion on record. University leaders said the new scholarship, paired with expanded STEM facilities, reflects a commitment to pairing academic rigor with broad access.
The opening of Bloomfield Hall also supports Loyola’s expanding health and science offerings, including newer programs such as the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and complements existing facilities in Knott Hall and the renovated portions of the Donnelly Science Center.
Academic leadership emphasized that the investment will enhance research opportunities, faculty scholarship, and hands-on learning while reinforcing the university’s liberal arts foundation.
Bloomfield earned her undergraduate degree in international business and marketing from The Ohio State University and, since retiring from Neutrogena, has served on corporate and nonprofit boards focused on public education and reducing educational inequality.
Her husband, Bill Bloomfield, is a retired entrepreneur and longtime community leader and philanthropist.
The Bloomfields’ donation builds on a surge of major philanthropy at Loyola. Over the past two months, the university has announced three eight-figure gifts for the first time in its history, including two $10 million commitments in December 2025. Together, these gifts are accelerating the implementation of Loyola’s strategic plan, which prioritizes expanded investment in health sciences, STEM fields, and student success through 2030.