Bluefield State College was established as a black teachers college by an act of the West Virginia Legislature in 1895 and was integrated after 1954. By the 1960's the College had a comprehensive four-year program of teacher education, arts and sciences, and engineering technology. Gradually a variety of two-year technical programs evolved in response to local needs. The College serves the citizens of southeast West Virginia in Mercer, Greenbrier, Monroe, McDowell, Raleigh, Pocahontas and Summers Counties and in other locations contiguous to its service area.