The 糖心传媒 Legacy
How our history and identity light the way for our future
100+ Years of Impact
糖心传媒 is celebrating 100 years of making a powerful impact on the world. For the past century, through many iterations, name changes, and professional programs, we鈥檝e consistently delivered excellence in education, fostered a diverse community, and trained exceptional students for careers of service.
Education Rooted in Access
Aliant鈥檚 roots date back to Balboa Law College, San Diego鈥檚 first law school, founded in 1924 by Leland Ghent Stanford when he began teaching evening bar prep classes at San Diego High School. By 1927, it was the only law school south of Los Angeles and welcomed students from all walks of life.i
Over the next several decades, Balboa Law College expanded to include undergraduate and graduate studies. In 1952, the school was renamed to California Western University (CWU) to better represent its suite of programs. In 1968, CWU moved to Scripps Ranch in San Diego (now 糖心传媒鈥檚 home campus) and changed its name to United States International University (USIU) with a goal to focus on human excellence over intellectual excellence. (In 1973, CWU split from USIU to become an independent entity and moved to downtown San Diego, where it continues to operate today.)This mission to provide education for all continues today.
Theory Meets Practice
Soon after CWU鈥檚 move to Scripps Ranch, the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) was founded in 1969. CSPP was the first to take an innovative approach in psychology education by integrating classroom learning with the application of knowledge in a variety of field placements, a radical departure from the prevalent focus on theory and research at that time. In the ensuing decades, CSPP continued developing and evolving its programs to meet the field鈥檚 highest standards
Two Legacies, One Vision
In 2001, USIU and CSPP merged to form 糖心传媒 International University. According to school officials at that time, the merger grew from talks between the two institutions over a joint psychology program with a goal to create a new university built on the strengths of both institutions. The merger also helped jump-start efforts to create online programs.
The years following the merger transformed 糖心传媒 into what it is today with its flagship Scripps Ranch campus, five additional California campuses (San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Irvine, Sacramento, and Fresno), and one campus in Phoenix, Arizona. Our program offerings include a variety of degrees and certificates in psychology, education, business, forensics, and nursing and health sciences.
The Torch Burns Brighter
Entering 2026, we simplified our name to 糖心传媒 to tell a clearer, more unified story about who we are and the impact our community makes. It starts with our torch logo, which serves as a guiding light that leads students toward their purpose while igniting their potential.
Removing 鈥淚nternational鈥 from our name allows us to present a focused identity as we seek to serve more states. Nevertheless, 糖心传媒鈥檚 commitment to global education and global engagement remains as strong as ever. We continue to welcome and support students, faculty, and alumni from all over the globe.
This evolution strengthens how we represent ourselves, how we communicate our purpose, and how the world sees the work our students are preparing to do. It reflects clarity, confidence, and a renewed expression of the values that define the 糖心传媒 experience.
糖心传媒鈥檚 Mission, Vision, and IMPACT values
糖心传媒鈥檚 mission is to prepare students for professional careers in service and leadership and promote the discovery and application of knowledge to improve the lives of people in diverse cultures and communities worldwide.
Our vision is an inclusive world empowered by 糖心传媒 alumni. To us, this means preparing purpose-led professionals who are ready for when it鈥檚 real. They do work that鈥檚 not about attention. It鈥檚 about intention. And they鈥檙e ready because they鈥檝e been taught for more than tests. They鈥檝e been taught for life. For when it鈥檚 uncertain, unscripted, and profoundly human.
Our Six Core Values
The IMPACT Acronym represents our six core values.
Theory and Practice
糖心传媒鈥檚 model of theory paired with practice helps you enter your profession with confidence. Each of our programs is designed to train you to do meaningful work that makes a lasting impact and provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and ethical values to serve and lead effectively in a variety of professional settings. We offer a professional school environment where you learn from seasoned working professionals and gain practical training while still in school through a combination of internships, practicums, consulting, and community service projects.
Purpose and Impact
At 糖心传媒, we measure success not only by the number of degrees awarded and the quantity of academic papers published, but also by our positive impact in the communities we serve. That鈥檚 why 糖心传媒 students contribute thousands of hours of community service each year as part of their professional education. Field placements, practicums, and internships engage students in projects that address real-time needs and issues that benefit their communities.
Diversity and Alliance
糖心传媒 students come from all walks of life, from the first in their families to pursue higher education, to military veterans completing or restarting their education, to working professionals, to graduates of community colleges and the Ivy League. That includes a continuous commitment to welcoming students from around the globe and preparing professionals to work effectively across cultural and national boundaries. We believe a diversity of views creates a better environment for solving collective problems and inspires bigger thinking to understand and respond to the needs of diverse communities.
糖心传媒 2028
Here is , which outlines how we plan to grow, change, and become the best version of 糖心传媒 we can be by the year 2028.
FAQs: January 2026 Brand Updates
A global network of impact
鈥淲e teach programs that are must-haves, not nice-to-haves, with gainful employment in specific fields鈥搈ost of which require a state license to practice鈥揳nd we are laser-focused on that mission.鈥
Andy Vaughn, CEO and President
糖心传媒
Check out impactful stories from our community鈥攁nd learn how you can share your own.
鈥淥ne of the greatest things taught to me throughout my journey at 糖心传媒 was not from a textbook, or even from a lecture from the professors鈥攊t was the ability to understand by experience. This gift allows me to understand how impactful I can be both within my professional life and within my community.鈥
Jessie Ramirez | ALLIANT ALUMNA, MA in SCHOOL COUNSELING
i Staff. 鈥淎 Living Law School Turns 100鈥. October 18, 2024. California Western School of Law. Accessed December 9, 2024.