About CIU

CIU was born out of a prayer group of six women who sought the Lord for a means to evangelize and disciple mill workers in Columbia. The results went beyond their expectations. The CIU ministry was founded in 1923 as Columbia Bible School, occupying the former Colonia Hotel in downtown Columbia in 1927. The school became Columbia Bible College in 1930, one of the nation’s first four-year Bible colleges. Graduate courses were first offered in 1936, marking the beginning of what is now CIU’s Seminary & School of Ministry. The school moved to its present 400-acre campus in suburban Columbia in 1960 and changed its corporate name to Columbia International University in 1994. In the 2009-2010 academic year, programs were moved to the following colleges: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Intercultural Studies, and the Seminary & School of Ministry.

The Prayer Towers

Robert C. McQuilkin was CIU’s first president, holding the office until his death in 1952. He was succeeded by G. Allen Fleece, who led the university until 1966. Robertson McQuilkin, son of the first president, served from 1968 through 1990. Then Johnny V. Miller, current CIU emeritus faculty member and former pastor, served as president from 1991 through 1999. George Murray was appointed president in 1999 and then as chancellor in 2007. Dr. Bill Jones served as president beginning in 2007 and was appointed chancellor in 2017. Dr. Mark Smith currently serves as president and has been serving since 2017.

As our motto states, CIU was founded for the purpose of preparing students “To know Him and to make Him known.” Our purpose remains the same today. All programs emphasize spiritual development, biblical training, and ministry skills development. From the early years until the present, CIU has focused on the five core values: the Authority of Scripture, World Evangelization, Victorious Christian Living, Prayer and Faith, and Evangelical Unity.

The school’s first class boasted seven students. Currently CIU enrollment includes over 1,100 students, with several hundred students involved in non-traditional and distance education programs. Approximately 18,000 students have received training from CIU and hundreds of our alumni serve throughout the world.

Columbia International University is a multi-denominational Christian institution of higher education dedicated to preparing world Christians to serve God with excellence. Its educational units offer degree programs ranging from associate level to doctoral level. All programs emphasize spiritual formation, mastery of biblical content and interpretation skills, cultivation of a biblical worldview, ministry skills development, and vocational competency.

CIU serves students from over 40 states and 30 foreign countries. More than 52 church denominations and independent fellowships are represented in the faculty and student body and about 30 percent of CIU graduates working in cross-cultural contexts.