Mayland Community College
History/Mission/Goals

History

Mayland Community College is located in the Blue Ridge section of the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina on the Avery/Mitchell county line just outside the town of Spruce Pine. Mayland is chartered to serve Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey counties (hence the name Mayland).

The college began as Mayland Technical Institute upon approval by the 1971 session of the North Carolina General Assembly, upon recommendation of the State Board of Education, the Advisory Budget Commission, and Governor Robert Scott. Operations began in September 1971 in the Board Room of the Northwestern Bank in Spruce Pine.

The Institute occupied rented space in downtown Spruce Pine until January 3, 1977, when it moved to a location four miles from the town on its present site containing 57 acres.

Dr. O. M. Blake, Jr. was the College’s founding President, serving from 1971 until 1986. He was succeeded by Dr. Virginia Foxx (1987-1993), Dr. Nathan Hodges (1994-1996) and Dr. Thomas E. Williams (1997-2005), and Dr. Suzanne Owens became the fifth President of Mayland Community College in December of 2005.

The College now serves more than 8,000 persons each year through its educational programs, more than twenty percent of the adult population living within the service area.

Institutional Philosophy

Vision Statement

Mayland Community College will foster an innovative and effective learning community.

Values

• Respect
• Engagement
• Learning
• Resposibility
• Integrity
• Collaboration
• Community
• Innovation
• Assessment

Mission Statement

The mission of Mayland Community College is to empower adults to become lifelong learners and to improve the quality of life within our communities.

Mayland Goals

• Develop a Learning College culture
  
• Promote community relations and marketing
• Promote flexible instructional programs
• Promote support servuces to learners and the community
• Procure and allocate essential resources

Mayland Community College As A Learning College

Mayland Community College has embraced the Learning College concept in order to further engage students and employees in enhanced learning opportunities occurring throughout all areas of college life. Mayland Community College wants to guide students toward a brighter future through the use of technology, self responsibility, decision-making, leadership experiences, and other lifelong learning skills that will prepare them for success in their jobs, satisfaction in their lives, and responsibility to their communities.

Global Education at Mayland Community College

Mayland Community College faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees recognize the increasing need for a global perspective in education. The College will be implementing Global Education through lectures, events, and special presentations during the year.

The information age has made the world much smaller and more interconnected.There are many examples of economic, technological, environmental, and socio-cultural changes in our community related to globalization. Thus, it is important that all students understand the smaller world concept and acquire the skills and attitudes that will enable them to live and work effectively within a smaller world. Also Mayland students need to adapt to cultural and ethnic change through interaction with a fast-growing immigrant population.

Mayland faculty, staff and Board of Trustee members believe that the success of the next generation depends upon their recognizing and being prepared to deal with the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities in a restructured
and more interconnected world.

Global education is an integral part of a learning college education.

page updated on December 6, 2007

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