Liberty President Dondi E. Costin receives Leadership Achievement Award from Air Force Academy AOG

Liberty University President Dondi E. Costin was recently named a recipient of the 2024 Leadership Achievement Award by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association of Graduates.

According to a news release from the Air Force AOG, the award “honors Academy graduates who have distinguished themselves through exceptional professional accomplishments, whether in the military or the private sector. Recipients exemplify the Air Force core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All We Do.”

The winners are selected through a rigorous process by the AOG board of directors and members of the graduate community, from a highly accomplished pool of nominees. Graduates between 16 and 39 years post-graduation are eligible. The AOG serves USAFA graduates, supports the Academy in its mission to develop leaders of character for the Air Force and Space Force, and preserves the heritage of the institution.

“I extend heartfelt congratulations to President Costin for this prestigious honor,” said Liberty Board of Trustees Chairman Tim Lee. “It is a testament to his unwavering commitment to faith, excellence, and service that defined his long and distinguished career as a military leader and chaplain. I am not only proud of the impact that Dr. Costin has made on our service members in the United States military but also the impact he has made with our Liberty students who will be world changers for Jesus Christ.”

Costin has served as Liberty’s sixth president since July 1, 2023. He 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 eighteenth Air Force Chief of Chaplains. He was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1986. He then served successively as an industrial engineer evaluating air-to-ground precision guided munitions, chief of scientific analysis on a major command headquarters staff, and assistant professor of aerospace studies at Texas Christian University. After 10 years as a line officer, he became an Air Force chaplain in 1996.

As Chief of Chaplains, Costin established guidance and provided advice on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel and their families. He led an Air Force Chaplain Corps of 2,000 chaplains and Religious Affairs Airmen and was the senior pastor for more than 664,000 personnel. As chairman of the Armed Forces Chaplain Board, he advised the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical, and quality-of-life concerns for the entire U.S. military.

Costin assumed the presidency of Charleston Southern University (CSU) immediately following his military career. CSU flourished as an unapologetically Christian university under his leadership. At Liberty, he is a strong leader and advocate, supporting the students in their endeavors inside and outside the classroom and encouraging their ideas and passions at every opportunity. Leading by example, he has joined students, faculty, and staff in serving others through LU Serve projects such as Serve Lynchburg and hurricane cleanup in Florida. He serves as a spiritual leader for the Liberty community and regularly speaks at Convocation and Campus Community.