President

Dr. Bill Jones served as the sixth president of Columbia International University and is currently serving as CIU’s eighth president.

During Dr. Jones’ first tenure as president, CIU introduced its first fully online degree program, established the Kepha (Chinese) program, secured full accreditation for the Prison Initiative, established intercollegiate athletics, added the Pine View apartments, and founded the School of Business. Additionally, Dr. Jones catalyzed the historic appointment of the first Ben Lippen parent to serve as the board chair for the K–12 school, marking a significant milestone in its 80-year history. Furthermore, through his strategic efforts, CIU’s endowment flourished, growing from $12 million to $43 million.

Driven by a passion for spreading God’s love and forgiveness, Dr. Jones co-founded Crossover Global in 1987, a mission-driven organization that has planted over 4,000 churches among unreached populations worldwide.

This dedication expands to Dr. Jones’ Bible study ministry to marketplace leaders, including state and federal government officials. His efforts were recognized by South Carolina when he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto in 2019, the state’s highest honor. He was also awarded the Key to the City of Columbia by Mayor Steve Benjamin in 2017.

Dr. Jones holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, complemented by a Certificate in Theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary. He furthered his education with dual Doctor of Ministry degrees from Columbia Biblical Seminary & Graduate School of Missions and Gordon-Conwell Seminary.

Bill is married to Debby Jones, who holds a master’s in Christian Education from CIU. Together, they have four married children.