changed to Bluefield State University in the summer of 2022. Academics Instructional programs are offered in engineering technologies, business, teacher education, arts and sciences, nursing and health science professions, and a variety of career fields. Students may also complete the non-traditional Regents Bachelor of Arts degree through Bluefield State University. The university is also dedicated to offering a wide variety of off campus courses at centers in Beckley, Lewisburg, Summersville and Welch, West Virginia. , Bluefield's student body is 63.31% female and 36.69% male. Although Bluefield is a historically black university, its student body has the racial composition listed in the table. Student life Athletics The Bluefield State athletic teams are called the Big Blues. The university is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing as an NCAA D-II Independent (for most sports, including basketball and football) since the 2013–14 academic year; as well as a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) since the 2016–17 academic year. The Big Blues previously competed as a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) from 1955–56 to 2012–13 (when the conference dissolved), then they were granted membership into the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) for some sports from 2013–14 to 2015–16. Bluefield State competes in 21 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, swimming, tennis, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports include acrobatics & tumbling, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field and volleyball. On December 8, 2022, Bluefield State got enough votes to gain entry into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), thus re-joining the league in nearly 70 years, beginning the 2023–24 academic year. Football The university fielded a football team until 1981. In 1927 and 1928, Bluefield State was voted the Black college football national champion by the Pittsburgh Courier. Ray Kemp was the team's coach for an extended period of time beginning in 1934. Joe Fourqurean played professionally for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. In August 2020, Bluefield State announced the addition of 12 athletic programs, which includes the resurrection of the football program. School President Robin Capeheart called it a huge step forward and it was saying there was life after COVID-19. The teams are set to start for the 2021–2022 season. Intramurals There are also several intramural