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) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Location |
,
,
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 in Bluefield, West Virginia. It is known as a historically black university (HBCU). This means it was first created to educate African American students. Today, students of all backgrounds attend Bluefield State. It is an important part of West Virginia's public education system.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Bluefield State
Bluefield State University has a long and interesting history. It started over 125 years ago!
The Early Days: Bluefield Colored Institute
The school began in 1895 as the Bluefield Colored Institute. It was a special "high-graded school" for African American students. At that time, laws in West Virginia kept public schools separate for different races. Bluefield was a good location because many African American families lived nearby. The school was built on a small piece of land near the railroad tracks.
The first leader was Principal Hamilton Hatter. He welcomed the first class 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 a state senator who helped create the school.
Growing and Changing Names
In 1906, Robert P. Sims became the new leader. He led the school for 30 years! In 1909, the institute became a "normal school." This meant it started training teachers. By 1920, many more students joined, especially for summer teacher classes. The campus grew, adding more buildings and land.
The President's House, now called Hatter Hall, was built in 1930. It is now a historic landmark.
In 1932, the state recognized the school's success. It approved its teacher training programs. The school's name changed to Bluefield State Teachers College.
Henry Dickason, a former student, became president in 1936. In 1943, the state approved even more study programs. The school's name changed again to Bluefield State College.
Challenges and New Beginnings
The 1960s brought many changes and protests for civil rights. Students at Bluefield State also spoke out. They felt the school was changing from a historically black college to one with mostly white students who lived off campus.
In 1968, a serious event happened. A bomb exploded in the school's gym. Luckily, no one was hurt. After this, the president closed all student dorms permanently. This sped up the change to a school where most students lived off campus.
Even with these changes, many students still attended the college. In 2003, some two-year programs were moved to a new community college. This caused Bluefield State to lose about half its students.
In 2019, the university started to bring back student housing. They began building a new residence hall. In 2021, Bluefield State bought a former medical center. This added a lot more land and buildings. Old patient rooms became student homes. This helped more students live on campus again.
In 2022, the state approved Bluefield State's first master's degree program. It was for business. Because of this, the school's name changed one last time to Bluefield State University.
Recently, the university has faced some challenges and changes in leadership. However, it continues to work towards its goals for students.
What Can You Study at Bluefield State?
Bluefield State University offers many different subjects for students to learn. It is organized into six main areas:
- 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
Bluefield State welcomes students from all backgrounds. In 2022, about 76% of students were white, and about 20% were Black. The student body is also made up of more females (about 59%) than males (about 41%).
| Category | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 75.9% |
| Black | 20.1% |
| Hispanic | 2.1% |
| *Other | 1.1% |
| Non-Resident Alien | 0.7% |
*Note: This racial-ethnic group includes Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and other racial or ethnic categories not explicitly listed in the table.
Life as a Student: Campus and Sports
Bluefield State University has a lively campus. Students can live in dorms, which returned in 2021 after being closed for many years.
Sports and Teams: The Big Blue
Bluefield State's sports teams are called the Big Blue! They have 21 different varsity sports teams. There are also many fun intramural sports.
The Big Blue teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. They are part of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Their men's wrestling team is part of Conference Carolinas.
A History of Athletics
Sports have always been a big part of Bluefield State. In the past, teams played in the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). They joined the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) in 1955. In 2023, they rejoined the CIAA.
In 2020, Bluefield State brought back its football team! Football had not been played at the school since 1980. They also added eleven new sports. The football team played its first games in 41 years in 2021. They had a winning record that season. In 2023, the Big Blue football team played in the CIAA for the first time in 70 years.
Bluefield State's basketball teams have also had great success. The women's teams won conference titles in 1985, 1987, 1990, and 1993.
The men's golf team won a championship in 2011. In 2021, they won a national championship!
The men's tennis team won a championship in 2012. In 2021, they made it to the NCAA Division II Finals for the first time.
The women's volleyball team won a national championship in 2022.
Both the men's and women's track & field teams won national championships in 2023.
Notable alumni
