President Costin called to new assignment, serving CSU through June 30
April 3, 2023
In a letter to the Charleston Southern community earlier, Dr. Dondi Costin announced that he has been called to a new assignment and will serve as CSU president through June 30, 2023. He has been named the next president of Liberty University.
“Without exception, Vickey and I love absolutely everything about CSU,” said Costin. “Accepting God’s call to a new assignment has been one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make, but we committed decades ago to move wherever the Lord sent us. As difficult as it will be to leave the greatest trustees, senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, and supporters on the planet, we know that God has issued a new set of orders, and we have no choice but to follow His lead.”
Charleston Southern has flourished as an unapologetically Christian university under Costin’s leadership, which featured a visionary strategic plan and the university’s award-winning response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. He helped launch the university’s first two doctoral programs, the state’s only four-year aviation program, an engineering department consisting of an engineering major with three concentrations, the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy, and the Strack Center for Global Leadership and Ministry.
Costin also oversaw construction of the first residence hall in 30 years, a state-of-the-art engineering and science building, a world class addition to the health science building, a new student center, renovation of the CSU campus store, expansion of the campus coffee shop, and the finest intramural complex in the state.
Under his leadership the Limitless Campaign set CSU records for annual giving, one-year campaign giving, and Giving Day totals, while establishing the Hans A. Nielsen College of Business as CSU’s first named college. In addition, new student enrollment increased 20 percent during his tenure, and CSU Athletics enjoyed its best year in university history, finishing third in the Big South Conference Sasser Cup competition while attaining a 3.14 student-athlete cumulative GPA.
Dr. Judy Hetz, chairwoman of the CSU board of trustees, said that “God knew exactly what CSU needed when He sent Dr. Costin as CSU’s third president. He and Vickey have been the perfect leaders for Charleston Southern in every way. It is no surprise that the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce recognized CSU as its 2022 Business of the Year during their time at the helm.”
To capitalize on this mounting momentum, the CSU board of trustees has retained CarterBaldwin Executive Search to lead the search for Charleston Southern’s fourth president. CarterBaldwin partner Bill Peterson will facilitate the search. Nominations and recommendations can be sent to him beginning immediately at [email protected].
The board also voted this week to appoint a search committee comprised of trustees, faculty, and staff, many of whom led the search committee that landed Costin. This group represents key constituencies who are vitally important to the institution, and they will seek God’s choice to become CSU’s fourth president.
