Bernard John McQuaid served as the first President of Seton Hall College (now Seton Hall University). He was born December 15, 1823, though some records indicate 1825, in New York, New York. His father, Bernard McQuaid, originally from Tyrone, Ireland, settled the family in Powel's Hook (now Jersey City), New Jersey. McQuaid's mother died when he was 4 and his father soon after. He was sent to an orphanage in New York City. He then attended Chambly College near Montreal, Canada. He returned to New York to study at St. Joseph's Seminary at Fordham University. It was here that he met Bishop Bayley.

McQuaid was ordained January 16, 1848 in New York City. His first assignment, through the intervention of Bishop Bayley, was to St. Vincent's Church in Madison, New Jersey. He also served in Morristown, Springfield and Mendham. In October 1853, he returned to Madison to serve in the new Diocese of Newark and the new Bishop of Newark, Bayley. The two were able to work closely together to establish the College that Bishop Bayley founded in memory of his aunt, Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton. McQuaid became the first president of Seton Hall College, as it was then known, in 1856. He continued serving in his position as rector of the cathedral in Newark and as Vice-General of the Diocese. After the first school year, he returned to his position in Newark and the Reverend Daniel J. Fisher became president of the College for two years; McQuaid was reappointed to the post in 1859. McQuaid remained at Seton Hall as president until 1867. It is during this time that the campus was moved to South Orange from Madison. The story goes that Bishop Bayley and McQuaid were traveling in a carriage, when Bishop Bayley saw a white marble villa and wondered if they could buy it. McQuaid set about seeing it done, and the villa and the surrounding farm were purchased. The College moved to their new land and the next few years would see the growth of the student body as well as the physical College, as buildings were constructed. The growth was marred by two fires during McQuaid's tenure, the gymnasium saw some fire damage in 1863 and the original marble villa was burned to the ground January 27, 1866.

In 1868, McQuaid was appointed Bishop to the newly created Diocese of Rochester, New York and was consecrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, July 12th. In Rochester, he continued his work in education, working to establish a parochial school system. He established St. Andrew's Preparatory Seminary in 1870 and opened St. Bernard's Seminary in 1893. Bishop McQuaid attended the Vatican Council in 1870. In 1905 he asked for a coadjutor, and Bishop Thomas F. Hickey was consecrated, 24 May, 1905. Bishop McQuaid died in 1909.