Liberty University appoints new chancellor and president

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - Liberty University has appointed a new chancellor and president, according to the university.

The board of trustees appointed Maj. Gen (Ret.) Dondi E. Costin, Ph.D. to be the president of the university, and Pastor Jonathan Falwell to be the chancellor.

Costin succeeds Jerry Falwell, Jr., who resigned from the university in 2021 after a series of scandals. It’s been three years since Falwell Jr. took an indefinite leave of absence and they had an interim president in Jerry Prevo.

Dr. Costin most recently served as the president of Charleston Southern University, where he oversaw construction of several facilities and the expansion of CSU’s academic program, including SC’s only four-year aviation program, multiple doctoral programs, and an engineering program within the university’s College of Science and Mathematics.

”When he laid out that vision, nobody but Dr. Falwell and God believed it was going to happen,” said Costin. “And so, I just look forward to taking the baton and running as far and as fast as I can with a team of incredible people. And trying to fulfill as much as Dr. Falwell’s vision as I can.”

Jonathan Falwell has served at Thomas Road Baptist Church for over 30 years and has been the Senior Pastor of the church since 2007. He is the son of Jerry Falwell and brother of former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr.

”The mission and the vision has always been at the forefront of what we’ve done going all the way back to day one. God has always led us to train champions for Christ,” said Jonathan Falwell. “And so when you talk about what’s going to change, the only thing that will change is that we’re going to do that better. My dad always said if it’s Christian, it out to better.”

Both leaders will begin their duties at the beginning of the next school year.

Watch the full announcement below:

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