Dondi E. Costin

Dondi E. Costin
Dondi E. Costin
	Costin in 2018
6th President of Liberty University
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; July 1 , 2023
Preceded by	Jerry Prevo
3rd President of Charleston Southern University
	In office; July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2023
Preceded by	Jairy C. Hunter
Succeeded by	Keith Faulkner
Personal details
Born	August 21, 1964 (age 61); Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Spouse	Vickey Northey (m. 1989)
Education	United States Air Force Academy (BS); Liberty University (MA); Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv); Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (DMin, PhD);
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Years of service	1986–2018
Rank	Major general
Commands	U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps (Chief of Chaplains)
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal (7);

Dondi Enos Costin (born August 21, 1964) is an American Baptist minister and former major general in the United States Air Force. He has been serving as the 6th president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, since July 2023.^[1]

Previously, he served as Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force at the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps from 2015 to 2018 and as the third president of Charleston Southern University in North Charleston, South Carolina, from September 2018 to June 2023.

Early life and education

Costin was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. He attended Emsley A. Laney High School and then the United States Air Force Academy, receiving a bachelor's degree in operations research.^[2]^[3] After graduating, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1986.

He received his Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. He also holds Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, as well as a Master of Arts in Counseling from Liberty University. His military education was also at the U.S. Air Force Academic Instructor School, the Squadron Officer School, and the Air War College.^[4]

Career

Military career

Costin served as a squadron-level scientific analyst evaluating air-to-ground precision guided munitions, chief of scientific analysis on a major command headquarters staff, and assistant professor of aerospace studies. He completed a competitive category transfer into the Air Force Chaplain Corps in 1996.^[5]

Costin has since served as Protestant chaplain for Air Force Basic Military Training, flight line chaplain and then senior flight line chaplain for both special operations and conventional forces in Europe, senior Protestant chaplain, readiness instructor/ evaluator preparing Chaplain Corps personnel for worldwide deployment, Air Staff branch chief, wing chaplain, command chaplain for the air component mission in Southwest Asia, and command chaplain for Pacific Air Forces. An ordained Southern Baptist minister, Costin is endorsed by the Liberty Baptist Fellowship to serve as an Air Force Chaplain. He was double promoted from the rank of colonel to major general to assume the position of Chief of Chaplains in August 2015.^[6]

Civilian career

On April 13, 2018, Charleston Southern University in North Charleston, South Carolina, appointed Costin as the university's third president, effective July 1, 2018.^[7] He continued in that role through June 30, 2023.^[8]

In March 2023, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, named Costin as the university's 6th president, effective July 1, 2023.^[9]^[1]

Awards and decorations

Badge	Air Force Christian Chaplain Badge
Badge	Senior Acquisition and Financial Management Badge
1st row	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal
2nd row	Meritorious Service Medal with one silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters	Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters	Joint Service Achievement Medal	Air Force Achievement Medal
3rd row	Joint Meritorious Unit Award	Gallant Unit Citation	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device, one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with four oak leaf clusters
4th row	Air Force Recognition Ribbon	National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal	Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star
5th row	Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three service stars	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal	Korea Defense Service Medal
6th row	Armed Forces Service Medal	Humanitarian Service Medal	Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal	Air and Space Campaign Medal with service star
7th row	Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal	Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon - Short Tour	Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon - Long Tour with two oak leaf clusters	Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frame
8th row	Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon	Air Force Training Ribbon	NATO Medal for service with ISAF
Badge	Headquarters Air Force badge

References

^ ^a ^b "President of Liberty University | About Liberty | Liberty University". About Liberty. Archived from the original on 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
^ Meet Dondi E. Costin of Charleston Southern University Archived 2020-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. charlestonmercury.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
^ Svrluga, Susan (2023-04-01). "Liberty University taps S.C. college leader, Air Force veteran as president". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
^ "Chaplain (Major General) Dondi e. Costin". Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "CHAPLAIN DONDI E. COSTIN". Air Force. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
^ "AF colonel to get double promotion to 2-star general for top chaplain post – Stripes Japan". Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
^ Media, C. S. U. (2018-04-13). "CSU announces third president | CSU". Retrieved 2025-10-20.
^ Johnson, Jenna (2023-03-31). "Costin called to new assignment | CSU". Retrieved 2025-10-20.
^ "'I Am Beyond Grateful': Liberty University Names New President, Chancellor in Wake of Jerry Falwell Scandal". CBN. 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2025-10-20.

External links

Media related to Dondi E. Costin at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices

Preceded by

Howard D. Stendahl

Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force
2015–2018

Succeeded by

Steven A. Schaick

[:0-1] "President of Liberty University | About Liberty | Liberty University". About Liberty. Archived from the original on 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2025-10-20.

[2] Meet Dondi E. Costin of Charleston Southern University Archived 2020-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. charlestonmercury.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024.

[3] Svrluga, Susan (2023-04-01). "Liberty University taps S.C. college leader, Air Force veteran as president". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-08.

[4] "Chaplain (Major General) Dondi e. Costin". Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[5] "CHAPLAIN DONDI E. COSTIN". Air Force. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2023-10-16.

[6] "AF colonel to get double promotion to 2-star general for top chaplain post – Stripes Japan". Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-24.

[7] Media, C. S. U. (2018-04-13). "CSU announces third president | CSU". Retrieved 2025-10-20.

[8] Johnson, Jenna (2023-03-31). "Costin called to new assignment | CSU". Retrieved 2025-10-20.

[9] "'I Am Beyond Grateful': Liberty University Names New President, Chancellor in Wake of Jerry Falwell Scandal". CBN. 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2025-10-20.

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