Air force major general dondi costin biography
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President of Liberty University
Dondi E. Costin, Ph.D.
Major General, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
President, Liberty University
Dr. Dondi Costin began serving as Liberty University’s sixth president on July 1, 2023. He returned to Liberty, his alma mater, after five years as president of Charleston Southern University. He fryst vatten a retired Major General with 36 years of service in a military career that culminated as a senior leader in the Pentagon, where he served as the eighteenth Air Force Chief of Chaplains.
Dr. Costin is a native of Wilmington, N.C., and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1986. He then served successively as an industrial engineer evaluating air-to-ground noggrannhet guided munitions, chief of scientific analysis on a major command headquarters personal, and assistant professor of aerospace studies at Texas Christian University. After ten years as a line officer, he became an Air Force chaplain in 1
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Dondi Costin: Unusual Name, Uncommon Passion & Commitment to Mission
Charleston Southern University’s new president has an unusual first name: Dondi. But it seems to fit, since Dondi Costin is not your typical university president.
As one would expect, he’s been decorated with academic degrees — five master’s and two doctorates — and he has taught as a professor (of aerospace studies). Costin, however, is also a decorated Air Force officer who recently completed a stint at the Pentagon as chief of chaplains.
A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, he rose to the rank of major general during his 32 years of commissioned service, earning both the Legion of Merit award and the Bronze Star medal. In his role as chief of chaplains, he has led more than 2,000 chaplains and chaplain assistants in serving more than 664,000 active-duty airmen, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces.
Most striking, though — and likely honed through his decades of military service — is a passion for the
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Dr. Dondi Costin
Dr. Costin has a track record in key leadership positions with the U.S. Air Force, having obtained the rank of Major General in his 32 years of commissioned service. He began serving as the third president of Charleston Southern University on July 1, 2018. He most recently served at The Pentagon as Air Force Chief of Chaplains where he was the senior pastor for more than 664,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas, and led 2,000 chaplains and chaplain assistants from the Air Force Chaplain Corps.
A native of Wilmington, N.C., Dr. Costin graduated from The United States Air Force Academy in 1986. A decorated combat veteran, he deployed in support of numerous contingency and humanitarian relief operations across the globe and served as senior chaplain for Air Force operations both in the Pacific and the Middle East. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Mer