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Former names | Bluefield College (1922–2021) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Deus, Patria, Lux |
Motto in English | God, Country, Light |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1922; 103 years ago (1922) |
Religious affiliation | Baptist (Baptist General Association of Virginia) |
| President | Steven Peterson |
| Students | 1,332[1] |
| Undergraduates | 851[1] |
| Postgraduates | 481[1] |
| Location | ,, |
| Campus | 82 acres (33 ha) |
| Colors | Blue & Red[2] |
| Nickname | Rams |
Sporting affiliations | NAIA –Appalachian |
| Mascot | Victor E. Ram |
| Website | bluefield.edu |
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Bluefield University[3] is aprivateBaptist university inBluefield, Virginia. It offers 22 majors and is accredited by theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools. The 82-acre (330,000 m2) campus is about 150 ft (46 m) from the state line betweenVirginia andWest Virginia. It is affiliated with theBaptist General Association of Virginia. Bluefield University merged withEdward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine which is on the campus ofVirginia Tech inBlacksburg, Virginia.[4]
Bluefield University was founded as "Bluefield College" in 1922 by theBaptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV), after residents of Bluefield offered to donate land and start-up funds.[5] R.A. Landsdell became the first president in 1920, and the current administration building is named Landsdell Hall in his honor. At its founding, Bluefield was a two-yearjunior college. FutureNobel Prize winnerJohn F. Nash took mathematics courses at the relatively new college while in high school. In his autobiography for the Nobel Foundation, he writes
I should mention that during my last year in the Bluefield schools that my parents had arranged for me to take supplementary math courses at Bluefield College, which was then a 2-year institution operated by Southern Baptists. I didn't get official advanced standing at Carnegie because of my extra studies but I had advanced knowledge and ability and didn't need to learn much from the first math courses at Carnegie.[6]
Under Charles L. Harman, president from 1946 to 1971, the college built EasleyLibrary, the dormitory Rish Hall, Harman Chapel, and ageodesic dome as the gymnasium.[5]
In 1975, Bluefield reinvented itself as a four-year college, and during the 1989–1996 presidency of Roy A. Dobyns, student enrollment doubled to more than 800 students. In 1998, under the leadership of President Daniel G. MacMillan, the college cut tuition by over 20% and refocused its student recruitment on the local area.[5]
In 2007 David W. Olive, was inaugurated as president.[7] Shortly thereafter, the college raised tuition by about 20%,[8] and announced a new strategic plan.[9]
During the centennial anniversary of Bluefield College, it achieved university status and became Bluefield University upon announcement from President David Olive at the President's Convocation on August 18, 2021.[10]
On July 19, 2024, the university announced the appointment of Dr. Steven Peterson as its 10th president.[11]
During his presidency, Dr. Peterson initiated a strategic vision titled *Blueprint for the Future*, which articulated a comprehensive plan for institutional growth and sustainability. The initiative focused on expanding online program offerings and increasing virtual campus enrollment, strengthening recruitment and retention efforts on the residential campus, and expanding graduate-level programs in collaboration with sister school Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). Additionally, the plan emphasized securing philanthropic support to enhance student scholarships, bolster athletic programs, and fund capital improvements across the university campus.[12]
Presidents of Bluefield University have included:[13]
| R. A. Lansdell | 1920–1926 |
| J. Taylor Stinson* | 1926–1927 |
| Oscar E. Sams | 1927–1930 |
| J. Taylor Stinson | 1930–1934 |
| Edwin C. Wade | 1934–1946 |
| Charles L. Harman | 1946–1971 |
| Charles L. Tyer | 1972–1988 |
| Gary N. Garner* | 1988–1989 |
| Roy A. Dobyns | 1989–1996 |
| T. Keith Edwards* | 1996–1997 |
| Daniel G. MacMillan | 1997–2006 |
| Charles Warren* | 2006–2007 |
| David W. Olive | 2007–2023 |
| Michael Salmeier* | 2024 |
| Steven Peterson | 2024–Present |
* – interim presidents
Bluefield University's campus is located on 82 acres on the eastern edge ofBluefield, Virginia, facing the northern side of the East River Mountain.
The campus also features access to outdoor activities, including an on-campus nature trail.[14]
Bluefield University is organized into the following colleges:
Bluefield University, a private institution in Bluefield, Virginia, fields its athletic teams under the nickname Rams and competes primarily in the NAIA’s Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). Boasting 18 varsity sports, the Rams include men’s programs in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, track & field, and volleyball, alongside women’s teams in basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, track & field, and volleyball, with cheerleading rounding out the co-ed sports.[16]
Bluefield participates in the AAC—a league featuring 24 sports among 16 full-member institutions across the Southeast. Home venues include Mitchell Stadium for football, Dome Gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, Bowen Field for baseball, Graham Park for softball, and the East River Soccer Complex for soccer.[17]
Through the years, Bluefield’s teams have earned conference and national recognition, including dominant basketball, baseball, and soccer showings, historic individual athletic achievements, and multiple appearances in AAC championship play.[18]
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