Briefly in the news

-- Lolita Harper

Although it is a small school, Vanguard University of Southern

California is the first college in Orange County to receive national

accreditation for its Athletic Training Education Program, officials

said.

The university joins the ranks with only five other California schools

that have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Allied

Health Education Programs. University officials are hoping it will

attract students to the program.

“This accreditation will undoubtedly attract many new students to our

campus who are interested is careers in the athletic-training field,”

Vanguard Provost Gus Cerillo said in a news release.

The accreditation process was a long one, school officials said,

consisting of several steps and taking about four years. After applying

for candidacy, the university had to do a self-study and schedule a

on-campus visit from accrediting officials.