As I write these words, we have just celebrated a wonderful Homecoming Weekend on Liberty Mountain. It is always a joy to see our family members come home for this annual reunion. For me and my wife, Vickey, this weekend was extra special. We have been celebrating our own homecoming since moving to Lynchburg this summer, and I have been routinely reminded why Liberty is such a spectacular place.
Serving as the sixth president of my alma mater is an honor I could never have imagined. Liberty has been instrumental in shaping my life since the day a church staff member handed me a Liberty University brochure in support of my call to the Air Force chaplaincy in 1987. As a two-time graduate, I know firsthand what it means to be a Liberty-trained Champion for Christ.
In the pages that follow, you will read about the university’s recent inauguration ceremony, which was an incredibly meaningful opportunity to honor the Lord with a room full of friends, family, and colleagues who have invested so heavily in me through the years. It was especially humbling to be in the company of many longtime Liberty employees who helped build this university into the powerhouse it is today. Through thick and thin, God used these faithful warriors to lay the groundwork. Now we stand on their shoulders and extend their legacy for the good of others and the glory of God.
As I shared on inauguration day, my primary obligation is to be a minder of the mission established by our founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, in 1971. As always, Training Champions for Christ is job one. Not surprisingly, in our brief time here Vickey and I have seen these champions in action. A few weeks ago, we joined our students in Florida with LU Serve Now, following their lead to help clear debris and repair damage left in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. It was moving to watch them serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to that broken community. Their spirit of service is alive and well around our campus and across our community as faculty, staff, and students daily affirm that we are on mission for God’s Kingdom here.
Echoing the final words of my inaugural address, there is only one King of the Hill on this Mountain, and His name is Jesus. Please keep us in your prayers as we follow His lead. With the God of all creation at the helm of both His universe and His university, the best is yet to come!
— Dondi E. Costin | President
