Mayland Community College was first chartered as Mayland Technical Institute in February 1970 by the General Assembly of North Carolina upon recommendations by the State Board of Education, the Advisory Budget Commission, and Governor Robert W. Scott. At that time, the unique name Mayland was created from the first letters of the three individual counties the school was chosen to serve: Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey. Operations began in September 1971 in the Board Room of the Northwestern Bank in Spruce Pine. From September 1971 to August 1972, the institute offered its first courses in continuing education and basic skills. In the fall of 1972, 102 students enrolled in four curriculum programs.
