Bluefield College
Encyclopedia
Bluefield College is a small, Christian liberal arts college in Bluefield, Virginia
, United States
, in Tazewell County
. It offers 22 majors, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
. The 82 acres (331,842.5 m²) campus is about 150 ft (45.7 m) from the state line between Virginia and West Virginia
.
(BGAV), after residents of Bluefield offered to donate land and start-up funds. 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
Under Charles L. Harman, president from 1946–1971, the college built Easley Library, the dormitory Rish Hall, Harman Chapel, and a geodesic dome
as the gymnasium.
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.
In 2007, the current president, David W. Olive, was inaugurated. Shortly thereafter, the college raised tuition by about 20%, and announced a new strategic plan.
and Richmond, Virginia
. Three majors are offered through this program.
On June 4, 2011 Bluefield College announced the return of a football
program with head coach Mike Gravier
with "club football" and expecting play in the NAIA beginning in 2012. Bluefield College had not had a football program since the attack on Pearl Harbor
.
Bluefield, Virginia
Bluefield is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, along the Bluestone River. The population was 5,078 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in Tazewell County
Tazewell County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,598 people, 18,277 households and 13,232 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 20,390 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile...
. It offers 22 majors, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
. The 82 acres (331,842.5 m²) campus is about 150 ft (45.7 m) from the state line between Virginia and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
History
Bluefield College was founded in 1922 by the Baptist General Association of VirginiaBaptist General Association of Virginia
The Baptist General Association of Virginia is an umbrella organization of Baptist churches founded in 1823. The BGAV has been characterized as a moderate association...
(BGAV), after residents of Bluefield offered to donate land and start-up funds. 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
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
. 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
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.
Under Charles L. Harman, president from 1946–1971, the college built Easley Library, the dormitory Rish Hall, Harman Chapel, and a geodesic dome
Geodesic dome
A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the structure. When...
as the gymnasium.
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.
In 2007, the current president, David W. Olive, was inaugurated. Shortly thereafter, the college raised tuition by about 20%, and announced a new strategic plan.
Degree Completion Program
Bluefield College has regional offices for its adult undergraduate degree completion programs in Roanoke, VirginiaRoanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
and Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Three majors are offered through this program.
Athletics
Participation in sports is popular at Bluefield, and in intercollegiate athletics, the college has six men's and six women's teams. Bluefield Basketball has been nationally ranked in 2007 and 2008, beginning the preseason poll at No. 15 Nationally. Bluefield, at the conclusion of the 2008–09 season was ranked 7th, with an undefeated schedule in the AAC, but lost the AAC Championship game at King by 1 point. Bluefield Baseball has also been a growing program there and have had successful winning seasons the past years. In 2007 they were the NCCAA Regional Champs. Athletes make up about 60% at Bluefield.On June 4, 2011 Bluefield College announced the return of a football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
program with head coach Mike Gravier
Mike Gravier
Mike Gravier is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at Bluefield College...
with "club football" and expecting play in the NAIA beginning in 2012. Bluefield College had not had a football program since the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.