Dondi E. Costin

Dondi E. Costin
Dondi E. Costin
	Costin in 2018
6th President of Liberty University
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; March 31, 2023
Preceded by	Jerry Prevo
3rd President of Charleston Southern University
	In office; November 2, 2018 – October 27, 2023
Preceded by	Jairy C. Hunter
Succeeded by	Keith Faulkner
Personal details
Born	August 21, 1964 (age 60); 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 academic, Baptist minister, and former major general in the United States Air Force. He has led the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps and served as Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force from 2015 to 2018. He retired effective September 1, 2018, and served as president of Charleston Southern University until June 30, 2023. On March 31, 2023, he was named president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.^[1]

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

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]

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

^ "'I Am Beyond Grateful': Liberty University Names New President, Chancellor in Wake of Jerry Falwell Scandal". 31 March 2023.
^ Meet Dondi E. Costin of Charleston Southern University. 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".
^ "CHAPLAIN DONDI E. COSTIN". Air Force. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
^ "AF colonel to get double promotion to 2-star general for top chaplain post – Stripes Japan".

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

[1] "'I Am Beyond Grateful': Liberty University Names New President, Chancellor in Wake of Jerry Falwell Scandal". 31 March 2023.

[2] Meet Dondi E. Costin of Charleston Southern University. 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".

[5] "CHAPLAIN DONDI E. COSTIN". Air Force. Retrieved 2023-10-16.

[6] "AF colonel to get double promotion to 2-star general for top chaplain post – Stripes Japan".

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Chiefs of Chaplains of the United States
Chiefs of Chaplains	Chaplain (Major General) William Green Jr. (Army) Rear Admiral Gregory N. Todd (Navy) Chaplain (Major General) Trent C. Davis (Air Force)
Senior USMC/USCG Chaplains (working under USN Chief of Chaplains)	Rear Admiral Carey H. Cash (Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps, and Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Navy) Captain Jennifer Bowden (Chaplain of the United States Coast Guard) Chaplain (Major General) Trent C. Davis (Chaplain of the United States Space Force)

Armed Forces Chaplains Board
Chiefs of Chaplains	CH (MG) William Green Jr. (USA Chief of Chaplains) RADM Gregory N. Todd (USN Chief of Chaplains) CH (Maj Gen) Trent C. Davis (USAF Chief of Chaplains)
Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains	CH (BG) Jack Stumme (USA Deputy Chief of Chaplains) RDML Carey Cash (USN Deputy Chief of Chaplains/ Chaplain of the USMC) CH (Brig Gen) David W. Kelley (USAF Deputy Chief of Chaplains)