Bluefield University

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Bluefield University [1] is a private Baptist university in Bluefield, Virginia. It offers 22 majors and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Script error: No such module "convert". campus is about Script error: No such module "convert". from the state line between Virginia and West Virginia. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Bluefield University merged with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine which is on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.[2]

History

Bluefield University was founded as "Bluefield College" in 1922 by the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV), after residents of Bluefield offered to donate land and start-up funds.[3] 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-year junior college. Future Nobel Prize winner John F. Nash took mathematics courses at the relatively new college while in high school. In his autobiography for the Nobel Foundation, he writes

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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.[4]

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Under Charles L. Harman, president from 1946 to 1971, the college built Easley Library, the dormitory Rish Hall, Harman Chapel, and a geodesic dome as the gymnasium.[3]

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.[3]

In 2007 David W. Olive, was inaugurated as president.[5] Shortly thereafter, the college raised tuition by about 20%,[6] and announced a new strategic plan.[7]

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.[8]

On July 19, 2024, the university announced the appointment of Dr. Steven Peterson as its 10th president.[9]

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.[10]

Presidents

Presidents of Bluefield University have included:[11]

Bluefield University presidents
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

Campus

Bluefield University's campus is located on 82 acres on the eastern edge of Bluefield, Virginia, facing the northern side of the East River Mountain.

Academic and administrative buildings

  • Lansdell Hall – Opening in 1922, building holds the college's primary administrative offices and classrooms.
  • Easley Library – The three-story building features the campus library on the upper two floors, while the first floor houses the education department and classrooms.
  • Harman Chapel – The spire of the chapel is featured in the college's logo. The building houses the music and theater departments and serves as a host for events including convocations, graduations, concerts, plays, and services.
  • Science Center – The building holds offices, classrooms, science labs, and technology labs.
  • Cox Visual Arts Center – Located on the southwestern corner of campus, the building holds classrooms, offices, and workspace for the art department.
  • Alumni Advancement Building

Residential buildings

  • Cruise Hall – Constructed with the opening of the college in 1922, the building now serves as a male dormitory.
  • Rish Hall – The first floor contains classrooms and houses the English department, communication department, and the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE). The upper three floors serve as a male dormitory.
  • East River Hall – Female dormitory
  • Alumni Hall – Male dormitory
  • Bluestone Commons – Constructed in 2014, the buildings hold male and female apartment-style student housing.

Student life facilities

  • Shott Hall – Holds the Student Activities Center, main dining hall, Quick Shott Cafe, campus bookstore, and student mailboxes.
  • Dan MacMillan Center – Opening in 2007, the building is the focal point for the college's outreach and service projects.

The campus also features access to outdoor activities, including an on-campus nature trail.[12]

Organization

Bluefield University is organized into the following colleges:

  • Caudill School of Business
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • College of Science & Health Sciences
  • School of Criminal Justice
  • School of Education & Social Sciences
  • School of Nursing[13]

Athletics

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.[14]

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.[15]

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.[16]

Notable alumni

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  3. ↑ a b c History Template:Webarchive
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Campus News-Inauguration Template:Webarchive
  6. ↑ Traditional Undergraduate Tuition Costs Template:Webarchive
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links

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