Biology alumnus feels at home in educational leadership

Scott Bloom ’94 knew The College of Wooster was the place for him because it felt more like home than any of the other colleges he visited. A football recruit from nearby Massillon, Bloom also felt at home in the sciences and majored in biology. He expected a future working in biological research after Wooster, but a post-grad internship at a nature center helped him discover his calling in education. Bloom’s Wooster experience prepared him to transition seamlessly into an unexpected, yet rewarding, career field.

Embracing campus life, Bloom served as head student athletic trainer, joined Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity, and participated in Biology Club. The healthy mix of academics, athletics, and community shaped both his social experience and his approach to leadership. “It was a beautiful thing that you could be in a Greek organization and still be a college scholar,” he said. “You weren’t pigeonholed.”

When the time came for his senior Independent Study, Bloom sought a research topic reflective of the local area. He secured a summer internship in the entomology lab at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) where he monitored migration patterns of strawberry sap beetles in Wayne County. They cause big issues in crops that can create financial strain for commercial growers. Bloom leveraged some of OARDC’s existing research and spent his summer doing additional fieldwork to complete his I.S.

Bloom found another summer internship following graduation to continue gaining experience. This time, at a nature center north of Dayton, he cared for native animals and taught kids about trees, turtles, and lakes. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I found my calling through that work,” said Bloom. He stayed on to develop educational programming at the center for three years before pursuing a
master’s degree and teaching licensure in grades 7-12 biology. “I felt super prepared to teach because of my strong background in the sciences, and I used my Wooster biology training directly in my classroom,” he added.

Haley Bloom ’23, Bloom’s daughter, recently gave him the opportunity to relive his Wooster experience.

After seven years leading honors-level biology courses, Bloom’s new career trajectory led to administrative work in student services and a high school principal role. “It all started with my degree from Wooster,” Bloom said. “As I progressed to graduate degrees with a master’s thesis and as a principal working to obtain different licenses, all of my research felt very comfortable because of I.S. Even though that was in a different field, it was invaluable preparation.”

Today, as director of secondary curriculum and instruction at Piqua City Schools, Bloom oversees district-wide instructional strategy. Through material review, professional development, testing, data analysis, and much more, Bloom focuses on enhancing student learning. While he wears many hats, he says working with teachers and students all the time is the best of both worlds.

“As an educator and administrator, you need to see lots of different perspectives,” explained Bloom, adding that Wooster expanded his ability to consider how other people think. “Everyone who comes through our district’s doors deserves public education and the best ability we can give,” he said. Undergrad and classroom experience helps Bloom stay ready to collaborate across all subjects and grade levels to ensure staff has what they need andstudents are prepared for where they go next.

Two key Wooster figures helped prepare Bloom’s path. James Perley, a biology professor and Bloom’s advisor who also taught his First-Year Seminar, was a role model who made Bloom think, “I want to do what he’s doing.” Football Coach Bob Tucker invested in Bloom as more than just an athlete. “He instilled in us that the student in ‘student-athlete’ came first,” said Bloom. “I’ve never forgotten that,and I carry it with me all these years later.”

Bloom experienced Wooster all over again through his daughter Haley, a 2023 alumna who studied computer science and now works as an analyst. Watching her navigate Greek life, campus housing, I.S., and a varsity sport reminded him how much had changed and how much had stayed the same. “It was surreal and a lot of fun for me to relive Wooster through her eyes,” Bloom recalled.

Bloom’s journey shows that learning can lead in unexpected directions and reflects the enduring power of a Wooster education. “Wooster is a microcosm of the world,” he said, encouraging students to be diverse in what they experience. “Join a club, play a sport, or learn a new art form. So many things are at your fingertips, and it gets harder to do that as an adult.”

Featured image: Scott Bloom ’94, photo provided by subject.

This story originally appeared in the spring 2026 issue of Wooster magazine. 

Posted in Magazine on March 16, 2026.