Private university in Costa Mesa, California, U.S
Vanguard University
(officially
Vanguard University of Southern California
) is a
private
Protestant
university in
Costa Mesa, California
. It was the first four-year college in
Orange County
. Vanguard's required core curriculum includes courses on
American politics
and
history
,
theology
,
fine arts
, and
public speaking
.
[1]
History
[
edit
]
In summer 1920, Harold K. Needham, D. W. Kerr, and W. C. Pierce opened
Southern California Bible School
, an institution intended to prepare Christian workers for the various ministries of the church.
[2]
[3]
[4]
The school moved from Los Angeles to Pasadena in 1927, and was chartered by the
state of California
in 1939 to grant degrees. Given this new distinction, the former Southern California Bible School became
Southern California Bible College
, the first four-year institution of the Assemblies of God.
[2]
In 1943 the college received recognition by the government for the training of military chaplains. It moved to the present campus in 1950, becoming the first four-year college in Orange County. Its name was changed to
Southern California College
nine years later when majors in the liberal arts were added to the curriculum.
Regional accreditation and membership in the Western Association of Schools and Colleges were granted in 1964. In 1967 the college received recognition and approval of its teaching credential program from the California State Board of Education. In June 1983 the Graduate Studies Program received approval from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. A Degree Completion Program was started in 1994 for adult learners. On July 1, 1999, university status was achieved when Southern California College registered with the Secretary of State's Office as
Vanguard University of Southern California
.
Campus
[
edit
]
Vanguard's campus is in
Costa Mesa, California
, centrally located in Orange County and about halfway between
Los Angeles
and
San Diego
. Two graduate programs,
organizational psychology
and
clinical psychology
, are housed nearby at a
satellite campus
in
Santa Ana, California
.
Structure and accreditation
[
edit
]
Structure
[
edit
]
The President's Cabinet is responsible for oversight and management of the university.
[5]
The university is divided into four schools: College of Arts and Sciences, Patty Arvielo School of Business and Communication, School of Education, and School of Theology and Ministry.
[6]
Accreditation
[
edit
]
It is
accredited
by the
WASC Senior College and University Commission
.
[7]
University presidents
[
edit
]
List of presidents
[
edit
]
Harold K. Needham served as the founding president of Vanguard University. Subsequently, nine people have served as presidents of the university: Daniel W. Kerr, Irvine J. Harrison, John B. Scott, O. Cope Budge, Emil A. Balliet, Wayne E. Kraiss, Murray W. Dempster, Carol Taylor, and Michael J. Beals, who assumed the office on August 1, 2013.
[8]
Notable presidents
[
edit
]
Harold K. Needham
[
edit
]
Needham was one of the founders of the university.
[2]
He served as its inaugural president.
[8]
Needham chapel, Vanguard University's chapel, is named in his honor.
Michael J. Beals
[
edit
]
Beals received a
BA
from Vanguard in 1981 and a
PhD
in
Christian Ethics
from
Fuller Theological Seminary
.
[8]
Before assuming the university's presidency, he served as the
senior pastor
of a Pentecostal church for 23 years.
[8]
As president, Beals has overseen the construction of the 42,000 sq. ft. Waugh Student Center and 61,000 sq. ft. Freed Center. Additionally, he oversaw the recruitment of the largest incoming ungraduated class in the university's history.
[9]
In 2016, Beals, along with other
conservative Christians
,
[10]
[11]
publicly opposed
California Senate
Bill 1146 authored by
Democrat
Ricardo Laura
.
[12]
He asserted "[SB 1146] seeks to restrict the state religious exemption that allows Vanguard and other faith-based institutions the right to operate according to our religious mission and identity. SB 1146 erodes the religious liberty of all California faith-based universities."
[12]
Rankings
[
edit
]
In 2019, the school was ranked #43 in
U.S. News & World Report
's Western Regional Colleges ranking,
[13]
and was named by
The Princeton Review
as one of its 124 “Best Western” Colleges.
[14]
Athletics
[
edit
]
The Vanguard athletic teams are called the Lions. The university is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Golden State Athletic Conference
(GSAC) for most of its sports since the 1986?87 academic year; while its men's and women's wrestling teams compete in the
Cascade Collegiate Conference
(CCC).
Vanguard competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track & field, volleyball and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, dance, golf, soccer, sideline dance,
[
clarification needed
]
softball, stunt,
[
clarification needed
]
track & field, volleyball and wrestling.
[15]
Accomplishments
[
edit
]
In 2014, Vanguard won the NAIA Division I men's basketball championship in
Kansas City, Missouri
.
[16]
In 2008, the women's basketball team won the NAIA Division I National Championship in
Jackson, Tennessee
.
[17]
Facilities
[
edit
]
Beginning in 2024, the Freed Center will serve as the primary facilities for the university's athletic programs.
[18]
The center will contain a 1,900 seat gymnasium, along with
weight
and
training
rooms.
[18]
Dean Harvey Field serves as the university's baseball field.
[19]
The university's also has a softball field and soccer complex.
[19]
Notable alumni and faculty
[
edit
]
- Daniel Amen
, psychiatrist and author
- Heidi Baker
, Christian missionary and author
- Ila Borders
, professional female baseball player
- Stephanie Borowicz
, Member of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Ralph Carmichael
, jazz and contemporary Christian musician and arranger
- Cubbie Fink
, musician
- Jason Frenn
, Missionary Evangelist, conference speaker, and author
- Jose Rojas
, professional baseball player
- Julius Kim
, President of
The Gospel Coalition
and former professor of
Westminster Seminary California
- Brent Kutzle
, musician
- Larry Mantle
, radio show host
- Emily Rose
, actress
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Core Curriculum (Traditional Undergraduate Majors) < Vanguard University"
.
catalog.vanguard.edu
. Retrieved
2023-10-06
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Vanguard University - History"
.
www.vanguard.edu
. Retrieved
2018-11-28
.
- ^
Randall Herbert Balmer,
Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism
, Westminster John Knox Press, USA, 2002, p. 711
- ^
Peterson's,
Peterson's Colleges in the South
, Peterson's Publishing, USA, 2008, p. 88
- ^
"Vanguard University -Office of the President"
.
www.vanguard.edu
. Retrieved
2023-10-08
.
- ^
"Academic Structure < Vanguard University"
.
catalog.vanguard.edu
. Retrieved
2023-10-08
.
- ^
"Statement of Accreditation Status"
. Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Archived from
the original
on 2013-07-18
. Retrieved
2013-05-09
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Vanguard University - President Michael J. Beals"
.
www.vanguard.edu
. Retrieved
2023-10-07
.
- ^
"10 Years in Review"
(PDF)
.
Vanguard University
.
- ^
Dreher, Rod (2016-08-09).
"SB1146 Vs. Religious Liberty"
.
The American Conservative
. Retrieved
2023-10-07
.
- ^
Nissen ? ?, Dano (2016-07-27).
"LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill Stirs Controversy at Religious Schools"
.
NBC Los Angeles
. Retrieved
2023-10-07
.
- ^
a
b
"California Bill Threatens Christian Higher Education"
.
PENews
. 2016-06-10
. Retrieved
2023-10-07
.
- ^
"Regional College West Rankings"
. U.S. News & World Report
. Retrieved
2015-06-06
.
- ^
"Best Western"
. Princeton Review
. Retrieved
2015-06-06
.
- ^
"Vanguard Athletics"
.
Vanguard University
. Retrieved
2023-10-08
.
- ^
"Vanguard Wins First National Championship, 70-65"
. NAIA. 26 March 2014
. Retrieved
26 March
2014
.
- ^
"Championship Records DI"
. NAIA
. Retrieved
1 November
2014
.
- ^
a
b
"Freed Center"
.
Vanguard University
. Retrieved
2023-10-09
.
- ^
a
b
"Facilities"
.
Vanguard University
. Retrieved
2023-10-09
.
External links
[
edit
]
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33°39′47″N
117°54′00″W
/
33.6630°N 117.9000°W
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33.6630; -117.9000