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]
Dondi E. Costin | |
|---|---|
 Costin in 2018 | |
| 6th President of Liberty University | |
| 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 Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Vickey Northey (m. 1989) |
| Education | |
| 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 | |
Early life and education
editCostin 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
editCostin 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
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References
edit- ^ "'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
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Media related to Dondi E. Costin at Wikimedia Commons