Bluefield State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Bluefield Colored Institute (1895–1932) Bluefield State Teachers College (1932–1943) Bluefield State College (1943–2022) |
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| Motto | "Accept The Challenge" |
| Type | Public historically black university |
| Established | February 28, 1895 |
| Accreditation | HLC |
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Academic affiliation
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| Endowment | $4.32 million (2021) |
| President | Darrin Martin |
| Students | 1,301 |
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United States
37°15′54″N 81°14′24″W / 37.26500°N 81.24000°W |
| Campus | Distant town, 50 acres (0.20 km2) |
| Other campuses | Beckley |
| Colors | Blue and gold |
| Nickname | Big Blue |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Sir Blue |
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Bluefield State University is a public university located in Bluefield, West Virginia. It is known as a historically black university (HBCU). This means it was first created to provide higher education for African American students. Today, it is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Contents
History of Bluefield State University
Early Beginnings: Bluefield Colored Institute
Bluefield State University started in 1895 as the Bluefield Colored Institute. It was a special school for African Americans. At that time, laws in West Virginia did not allow different races to go to school together. The institute was built on a 4-acre piece of land. It was located near the Norfolk & Western railroad tracks.
The first leader was Principal Hamilton Hatter. He guided the first group of 40 students. He also helped build important buildings like Mahood Hall and dorms called Lewis Hall and West Hall. Mahood Hall was named after State Senator William Mahood.
Growing and Changing Names
In 1906, Robert P. Sims became the new leader. He led the school for 30 years. In 1909, the institute started training teachers. This made it a "normal school." By 1920, over 200 students were enrolled. Many more came for summer classes to become teachers. The campus grew to 23 acres. New buildings like Payne and Conley Halls were added.
In 1930, the President's House was built. It was later renamed Hatter Hall. In 1932, the state of West Virginia recognized the school's success. It changed the name to Bluefield State Teachers College. This meant it was officially a college for training teachers.
Henry Dickason, a former student, became president in 1936. In 1943, the school offered even more subjects. Its name changed again to Bluefield State College.
Changes and Challenges
During the 1960s, there were many protests for civil rights. Students at Bluefield State also spoke up. They felt the school was changing from a historically black college to one with mostly white students. In 1968, an incident happened at the gymnasium. After this, all student dorms were closed permanently. This change made the college mostly for students who lived off-campus.
Even with these changes, many students continued to attend. In 2003, West Virginia created a new system for two-year colleges. Bluefield State had to transfer most of its two-year programs to a new college. This caused the school to lose about half of its students.
New Growth and University Status
In 2019, Robin Capehart became the interim president. He and Governor Jim Justice announced that students would soon be able to live on campus again. This was the first time since 1968.
In 2020, Bluefield State bought the former Bluefield Regional Medical Center. This added 68 acres to the campus. Old patient rooms became student housing. A cafeteria and lounge areas were built. Students moved in for the 2021–2022 school year.
In 2022, the college was approved to offer its first master's degree. This was a Master of Business Administration. Because of this, the school's name changed to Bluefield State University.
In 2022, the university faced some challenges. The university's accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), looked into how the university was being run. The president at the time resigned after a report was delivered to the university.
Academics at Bluefield State
Bluefield State University has six main colleges and schools. These are like different departments where students can study specific subjects:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- W. Paul Cole Jr. School of Business
- College of Engineering Technology
- College of Health Sciences
- School of Criminal Justice
- School of Education
Student Population
As of the 2022–2023 school year, about 59% of the students are female. About 41% are male.
| Category | Percent |
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| White | 75.9% |
| Black | 20.1% |
| Hispanic | 2.1% |
| *Other | 1.1% |
| Non-Resident Immigrant | 0.7% |
*Note: This group includes students who identify as Asian, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or other categories not listed separately.
Student Life at Bluefield State
Bluefield State became a residential university again in 2021. This means students can now live in dorms on campus.
Athletics: The Big Blue
Bluefield State's sports teams are called the Big Blue. They have 21 different varsity sports. They also have many intramural sports, which are fun sports played just for recreation.
Bluefield State competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the NCAA Division II level. Since the 2023–2024 school year, they have been part of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Their men's wrestling team is part of Conference Carolinas.
In 2020, the university announced that football would return to the sports program. This was the first time since 1980. Eleven new sports were also added.
History of Bluefield State Sports
Sports have always been important at Bluefield State. The teams used to compete in the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now the CIAA) from 1932 to 1955. Then, they joined the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) until 2013. After being an independent team for a while, they rejoined the CIAA in 2023.
The records of the WVIAC are kept at Bluefield State's Jefferson Library.
In 1927 and 1928, the football teams, then called the "Blue Devils," won national championships. Football returned to campus in 2020 with a new coach. In 2021, the team played its first games in 41 years. They finished the season with a winning record. In 2023, the Big Blue played in the CIAA for the first time in 70 years.
The men's and women's basketball teams competed in the WVIAC for many years. The women's teams won conference titles in 1985, 1987, 1990, and 1993.
The men's golf team won a WVIAC championship in 2011. In 2021, they won a national championship in the USCAA.
The men's tennis team won a WVIAC championship in 2012. In 2021, they won an NCAA Regional championship. They competed in the Division II Finals for the first time.
The women's volleyball team won the USCAA championship in 2022.
Both the men's and women's track & field teams won the USCAA championship in 2023.
Notable Alumni
