Bluefield University welcomed its tenth President, Dr. Steve Peterson, to campus on Monday, August 19, 2024.
To commemorate the start of Dr. Peterson’s tenure and foster connections between faculty and staff, an employee breakfast was held on Monday morning in BU’s Shott Hall A and B conference rooms. The event was catered by Pioneer College Caterers, Bluefield University’s dining services provider. Dr. Peterson used this time to exhort and encourage the Rams community as the academic year approaches.
The new President encouraged his team to continue performing their routine tasks well and leading well from their current positions while emphasizing the importance of executing innovative ideas and acting promptly and decisively.
This marks the second opportunity for BU employees to engage with Dr. Peterson. BU’s Provost and then-Interim President Dr. Michael Salmeier hosted a panel with Dr. Peterson on Tuesday, August 13 in the Science Center Lyceum. At the event, Dr. Peterson introduced himself and initiated dialogue about the state of the institution, its vision, and its mission.
Dr. Peterson began the panel by sharing memories of growing up in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He shared about his conversion to Christ and ultimately surrendering to God’s calling on his life. “I realized the power of the Holy Spirit wasn’t a game,” he shared. It was soon after that a boy with a dream of managing a pizzeria transferred to a Christian institution for his senior year of high school and set out on the path that led him to become the President of Bluefield University. He pointed to Proverbs 16:9, which says, “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps” (CSB).
After high school, Dr. Peterson attended Word of Life Bible Institute in New York, where guest professor and Liberty University co-founder Elmer Towns offered scholarships for him and his classmates to attend Liberty University. In the following years, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Religion; married his wife, Faith; and joined Liberty’s staff as Federal Reports Coordinator.
For over 22 years, Dr. Peterson served Liberty University, taking on positions such as Assistant to the Chancellor, Executive Director of University Advancement, and Vice President of Admissions. He also completed Master of Arts in Religion, Master of Business Administration, and Doctor of Education degrees.
In that time, he watched Liberty grow from a financially troubled school to a thriving university with over 100,000 students. Believing God wanted him to use those experiences to help other faith-based institutions he joined Houston Christian University as the Vice President for Online/Digital Learning. During his seven-year tenure, he oversaw the launch of HCU’s online division, which served over 1,800 students in 2023.
Now at Bluefield University, Dr. Peterson will greet the campus and local communities at the annual President’s Convocation on Wednesday, August 21. This event will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Harman Chapel.
For media inquiries, please contact the Office of Public Relations and Marketing at [email protected].