CIU Today | Spring 2019

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Each year Columbia International
University recognizes 12 recent
alumni who are serving on the mission
field, in the marketplace or in church
ministry and are faithful examples of
CIU’s five core values. Read about
them at ciu.edu/RARA.
Is there someone you would
like to nominate?
Contact the Alumni Office at
(803) 807-5500 or
David (’08) & Dylia Sasso Haron (‘08)
David and Dylia are full-time missionaries in Italy working with
refugees and ministering to Muslims. Prior to that, they served
for seven years at Theos Place in Costa Rica specializing in
youth programs, a missions branch, and launching satellite
church campuses. They met at CIU and married in 2009. They
have two children: Sara, 5 and Isaac, 4.
Betsy Killins (’09)
Betsy is the emerging leader women’s director and women’s
global coordinator at Downline Ministries in Memphis,
Tennessee. Her responsibilities include mentoring, coaching,
discipleship, and teaching courses on biblical womanhood.
Betsy also travels on three to four international trips each year,
training and equipping teams to teach discipleship around
the world.
Dustin Ventura (’09)
Dustin taught in public schools for several years. In 2011, he
became the director of Child Evangelism Fellowship of the
Greater Pee Dee area of South Carolina. His leadership has
had a profound impact for the kingdom through evangelizing
children. He is married to Leslie and they have three children:
Carlee 4, Bennett 2, and newborn Allie.
Crystal Hughes (’09)
Crystal is a fourth grade teacher at Sandhills Classical
Christian School in North Carolina. After graduating from CIU,
Crystal earned a Master of Arts in Human Services,
and while working at Automatic Data Processing (ADP),
earned her second Master of Arts in Middle Grades
Education. Her favorite subjects to teach are Bible and
History, using song, recitation/memorization and movement
to help her students learn.
Timmy Dahlstrom (’08)
Timmy works as a professional counselor and chaplain
with the Air Force Reserve at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
near Tacoma, Washington. He also works part time with
Teachbeyond, as a professional counselor providing care
to missionaries globally. After graduating from CIU, Timmy
served in Germany as a missionary with Teachbeyond at Black
Forest Academy from 2008-2018. In 2018, Timmy and his wife,
Kristi returned to the United States with their two children:
Luci, 3 and newborn Ellie.
Erin Elizabeth Austin (‘08)
Erin is the founder of Broken but Priceless Ministries, an
interdenominational, nonprofit Christian ministry that seeks
to encourage individuals suffering with a chronic illness. She
also works part time at Connie Maxwell Children’s Home in
North Carolina.
2019 Recipients
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