Liberty University Appoints Retired Military Chaplain Dondi Costin as New President
Dondi Costin, Ph.D., a retired US Air Force major general and chaplain, has been named the new president of Liberty University.
“With great excitement, we introduce both our new university president Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi E. Costin, Ph.D., and chancellor Pastor Jonathan Falwell. Their proven leadership and commitment to Christian values are the perfect fit to lead Liberty University into a bright future.” Liberty University wrote of the news on Instagram. “Join us in giving Maj. Gen. Costin a warm welcome as we look forward to the journey ahead.”
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The evangelical school in Lynchburg, Virginia, appointed Costin as its sixth president on Friday. Jonathan Falwell, son of Liberty University, the late Jerry Falwell, Sr., was also appointed as the university’s third chancellor.
“As one whose life and ministry have been profoundly shaped by Liberty University, I can think of no educational institution with more global impact than my two-time alma mater,” Costin said in a statement, according to CBN News. “I am beyond grateful to the board for entrusting me with this extraordinary opportunity.”
He added that he and his wife, Vickey, “look forward to locking arms with the Liberty family as we honor the university’s past and drive toward its future. With God’s help and for His glory, the very best days of our great university are still ahead of us.”
Former campus pastor and Liberty senior vice president Johnnie Moore applauded Costin’s appointment as the school’s president.
“Coupling the appointment of the new president with the re-establishment of the position of chancellor further anchors the university in its founding mission and vision,” Moore said.
According to Christianity Today, Costin is leaving his position as president of Charleston Southern University, a Christian college of about 3,500 students in South Carolina. He holds five master’s degrees, two of which he earned from Liberty University, and two doctorates. He was a chaplain with Liberty Baptist Fellowship, founded by Falwell, Sr.
He succeeds interim president Jerry Prevo, who was appointed to lead the school following a misconduct scandal involving former president Jerry Falwell Jr, who resigned in August 2020.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla/Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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