Columbia International University

🐏Happy National Mascot Day, Rammy!
Do you know what CIU’s mascot was originally called? Or why the university chose a ram?
👉Alumni, check your inbox for the story behind CIU's mascot — plus a Rammy coloring page waiting for you!

Sound the shofar — and Go Rams!

Behind every diploma is a calling.
One month ago, these graduates were celebrated, prayed over and sent out.

They carry their CIU education into places where skill, integrity and compassion matter:

▪️ Counseling rooms
▪️ Hospitals and health care settings
▪️ Classrooms
▪️ Businesses
▪️ Churches
▪️ Mission fields and more

Some are stepping into new roles. Others are deepening their impact in the work God has already entrusted to them.

All carry the mission: To Know Him and To Make Him Known. ✝

The countdown to August is officially on! ⏳🐏

Future Rams spent the day getting a closer look at life at CIU - from touring residence halls and registering for classes to meeting faculty, staff, and fellow students. Thanks to everyone who joined us for Admitted Student Day! We're excited to welcome you home in just a few short months!
Sign up for the next Admitted Student Day here👉https://ciu.edu/admissions/visit/admitted/

Who's the professor you still remember years later?⁣
At CIU, 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 — and their combined years of service add up to 88.⁣
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🎵 𝗗𝗿. 𝗥𝗼𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀 spent 36 years leading CIU's music program. His fondest memories aren't recitals or accomplishments — they're chapel sermons and the people who shaped him. He's heading into retirement to write more music, more poetry, more prose. Some teachers never stop teaching.⁣
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🙌 𝗗𝗿. 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗢𝗹𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 has given every student who walked into his Youth Ministry classroom a nickname. Mulletman. Beard. A.J. When asked why, his answer is simple: "I'm here for the students. That's my mission." He's said that for 33 years. He means it every time.⁣
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🎥 𝗗𝗿. 𝐊𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐟𝐞 spent 19 years training the next generation of communicators — and spent his spare time making sure the stories that matter don't get lost. His film on President Robertson McQuilkin's faithful care for his wife Muriel is a legacy piece. His next documentary on Chet Bitterman is ready to premiere.⁣
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Students won't remember the syllabi or the assignments.⁣
They'll remember the professors who taught more than academics.⁣
Who modeled faithfulness over decades.⁣
Who believed in them.⁣
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Thank you, Dr. Lewis, Dr. Olshine and Dr. Rife. 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

The best part of Commencement? The people waiting at the end.
Because behind every graduate crossing the stage are the people who never stopped believing in them.

Thank you to the families, friends, faculty, and staff who cheered our graduates every single step of the way. 💙🎓

The moment it hits you — the years of hard work were worth every sacrifice. 🎓

Today, Columbia International University celebrated the Class of 2026 at Commencement.

To every graduate, every parent, every spouse, every friend who cheered them on: today was yours too. Thank you for the sacrifices you made alongside them.

🎉Congratulations, Class of 2026! Go change the world. 🌍

Last week at chapel, ten graduating seniors were honored with induction into Delta Epsilon Chi — the honor society of the Association for Biblical Higher Education.

Nominees are selected on the basis of academic achievement, Christian character and leadership, and only a small percentage of graduates from ABHE member schools are recognized each year.

Congratulations to our inductees:
Heather Elgin | Human Services
Abigail Jones | Bible
Thea Lillaheart | Music
Sadie Lorick | Human Services
Katelyn McCormick | Biomedical Sciences
Sarah Mercer | Intercultural Studies
Liesl Carabetta | Nursing
Izabel Groves | Education
Marissa Dill | Business
Chase Knisek | Business

We are so proud of this group and grateful for the way each of them has represented CIU! 🎓