Liberty announces Dr. Scott Hicks to become Chief Operating Officer
March 13, 2026 : By Office of Communications & Public Engagement
Liberty University is pleased to announce that Dr. Scott Hicks will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer at the conclusion of the spring semester. Dr. Hicks has served as Liberty’s Provost and Chief Academic Officer since 2018. In this new role he will coordinate actions among key stakeholders to align University operations with strategic objectives in its next phase of development.
“Throughout his 19-year career at Liberty, Dr. Scott Hicks has performed at the highest levels as a workhorse leader, achieving numerous milestones and demonstrating the kind of forward thinking, business acumen, and steadfast commitment to Liberty’s Christ-centered mission that make him uniquely suited for this new post,” said Liberty President Dr. Dondi E. Costin.
“Adding a chief operating officer optimizes our organizational structure to keep Liberty on the cutting edge of Christian higher education,” he added. “In this critical role, Dr. Hicks will leverage his vast experience and steady hand to align operational initiatives with strategic objectives across the institution as we Train Champions for Christ.”
Hicks holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration with concentrations in Financial Management and International Business from Northcentral University, along with an MBA and B.S. in Finance and Management from Liberty University.
Hicks joined the Liberty faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor. He was named Dean of the School of Business in 2012 and then Vice Provost of Graduate Education 2017. In 2018, Hicks became the first Liberty graduate to rise to the level of Chief Academic Officer. During his time at Liberty, Hicks has guided the university through required accreditation reviews with positive marks and has made significant enhancements to academic programming with more than 700 unique programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, including the creation of nine programs and more than 65 cognates in the School of Business. He established the Center for Entrepreneurship and developed strategic partnerships with multiple Fortune 500 companies.
Prior to Liberty, Hicks served as Senior Consultant, Retail Sales and Operations for Mansfield Oil Company, one of America’s largest Forbes 400 companies. His experience in the oil and gas industry gave him practical knowledge and operational skills that have been key to his effectiveness as a higher education leader.
“It is a profound honor to have served as Provost, and I am humbled by this new opportunity,” Hicks said. “Liberty is not just where I work; it is where God shaped me, equipped me, and placed me to fulfill His calling. I am fully committed to a seamless transition into this new role and to serve alongside the executive leadership team while supporting whomever God calls to lead as our next provost. Our mission is bigger than any one role. It is to deliver the Gospel to the next generation of courageous Champions for Christ. I look forward to serving that mission in this new season.”
While Hicks will retain his current position until a new provost is named, Liberty University is conducting a comprehensive national search to find his successor. The university is working with CarterBaldwin Executive Search, one of America’s top executive recruiting firms, to identify the right leader to guide Liberty’s academic enterprise into the future. Application information for this opportunity can be found at carterbaldwin.com/opportunities/libun-pro. Liberty anticipates naming the new provost ahead of the upcoming academic year.
