Keith Faulkner, a 1998 alumnus, was selected as Charleston Southern University’s 4th president. Pictured from right to left: His wife, Patty; their three children, Erin, Hannah, and Ryan; and Keith.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP) – The Charleston Southern University Board of Trustees unanimously approved and announced the appointment of B. Keith Faulkner as CSU’s fourth president. Faulkner, a 1998 Charleston Southern alumnus, will begin in early October 2023.
The selection and announcement followed an extensive nationwide search led by CarterBaldwin – the same executive search firm that landed Dondi Costin at CSU five years prior. Chaired by Jerry Williams, a former trustee board chair, and Judy Hetz, current board chair, the 12-member presidential search committee was composed of trustees, former trustees, alumni and employees representing areas such as academics, student success, alumni engagement and athletics.
Hetz said that the committee’s primary requirement in selecting a candidate was an individual who held a demonstrable history of living the Christian faith as a believer in Jesus Christ as their Savior. According to Hetz, their search for a person with a deep faith was the “undergirding and motivating factor.”
“We were blessed with many qualified candidates,” Hetz said. “However, the uniqueness of Keith Faulkner’s combination of receiving his degrees at Christian institutions and working at Christian colleges first as a professor and then as a dean at the world’s largest Christian college equipped him to understand the day-to-day challenges of our faculty and staff. Faulkner is a prime example of the quality of Christian education that Charleston Southern provides students. Graduates leave CSU with the skills needed to pursue successful careers and live lives of integrity as they serve their fellow man, displaying Christ’s love in the workplace, community and home.”
Faulkner said he cherishes the opportunity to serve his alma mater. “The responsibility of leading is one that I take with great seriousness and humility,” he said. “I am a good listener, and I am anxious to hear from our alumni about how they believe that we can improve CSU together. Serving a cause and a place that you love is an opportunity like no other, and I commit to work hard every day to expose the light of CSU to any and all who will see it. Due in large part to the exceptional leadership of all who have gone before me and a Board of Trustees who sincerely believe in our mission, CSU has grown and flourished over the decades since its faithful beginnings. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and their faithfulness and stewardship along with God’s abiding love have positioned CSU for even greater heights.”
With 20 years of higher education experience, Faulkner currently serves as president and dean of Appalachian School of Law in Virginia. Prior to this, he served as the dean of Liberty University School of Law and the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University. He also served as interim dean at Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. Over his career, he and his teams have launched online programs, developed innovative partnerships with industry, enjoyed success in fundraising, and many other notable accomplishments.
