Liberty University to hold Inauguration Ceremony for President Dondi E. Costin on Thursday, Oct. 26

Special guests include Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, state and local government officials, Christian music artist Michael W. Smith

The Liberty University Board of Trustees has announced a formal Inauguration Ceremony to install the university’s sixth president, Dr. Dondi E. Costin, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Thomas Road Baptist Church, Worship Center.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend. The event will be streamed live on the Inauguration Ceremony website and on the Liberty University Facebook page. Liberty’s clear bag policy will be in effect and all bags/containers will be searched.

Several honored guests are expected to attend, including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who will deliver remarks during the ceremony, state and local government officials, civic leaders, and presidents and representatives of several colleges and universities. Christian music artist Michael W. Smith, executive director of Liberty’s Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music, will lead a time of praise and worship. Dr. David Dockery, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, will give the keynote remarks before Costin delivers his Presidential Address.

The event will formally mark the beginning of a new chapter in the university’s leadership, commemorating an important milestone as Liberty honors its 52-year history.

In announcing the ceremony, the Board of Trustees said:

“Dr. Costin comes to Liberty’s leadership team after decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Air Force and, most recently, as president of Charleston Southern University. He is truly an answer to prayer for all of us in the Liberty community.

“The role of university president is not an easy one to fill, but we also serve a great God who knew the sort of leader we needed and started preparing the way long before we thought to ask. We know President Costin will lead with honor, integrity, and passion in the years ahead, and we are privileged to have him with us on Liberty Mountain.”

The Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Costin as Liberty’s sixth president in March; Jonathan Falwell was named chancellor. Costin officially began serving as president on July 1, returning to Liberty, his alma mater, after five years as president of Charleston Southern University.

Costin is 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 18th Air Force Chief of Chaplains. He earned a Bachelor of Science in operations research from the United States Air Force Academy and graduate degrees from Liberty University (M.A. in Counseling), Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (M.A. in Religion), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Air Command and Staff College (Master of Military Operational Art and Science), Air War College (Master of Strategic Studies), and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min. in Evangelism and Church Growth; Ph.D. in Leadership).  An ordained Southern Baptist minister, Costin was endorsed by the Liberty Baptist Fellowship during his 22 years as a chaplain.

For more information on President Dondi Costin and details on the event, visit the Inauguration Ceremony website.