Mayland Community College

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

🏈 Football, School Spirit & A Little Friendly Competition

There’s nothing quite like high school football in our mountain communities!

Mayland Community College President Dr. Aron Gabriel recently joined Mountain Heritage High School Principal Daron Williams for the Cougars’ matchup with the Mitchell Mountaineers. With Mr. Williams leading Mountain Heritage — and also a Mitchell High School alumnus — Dr. Gabriel’s choice of shirt made for a little good-natured sideline conversation. We’ll let the photo tell the rest of that story! 😄🏈

Beyond the fun of the game, it’s always great to spend time with the schools and communities Mayland is proud to be part of. We value the educators and leaders across Avery, Mitchell and
Yancey counties who are helping students learn, grow and discover what’s possible next.

Here’s to a great school year — in the classroom, on the field and everywhere in between!



Mountain Heritage High School Mitchell High School

09/03/2026

Great with people? Comfortable with technology? You may be exactly who we’re looking for. 💻

Mayland Community College is looking for an Annual Part-Time Help Desk Technician — but don’t let the IT title make you think you need to be a technology expert.

For this role, being friendly, patient, approachable and genuinely good at helping people matters.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys solving problems, can explain things in a way that makes sense and wants to help students feel confident using the technology they need for college.

If you’re the person who says, “Let me help you figure that out,” we’d like to hear from you.

📍 Spruce Pine, NC
💰 $15/hour
⭐ Part-time with subsidized health & retirement benefits

Think this sounds like you? Apply now:

👉 https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/maylandedu/jobs/5465419/annual-part-time-help-desk-technician?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

Know someone who would be a great fit? Send this post their way.

09/03/2026

Building connections across Western North Carolina. 💛

We were pleased to welcome McDowell County Schools to Mayland Community College for its 2026 Leadership Retreat!

District and school leaders spent the day on our main campus before traveling to Mayland’s Earth to Sky Mayland Earth to Sky Park in Burnsville for a planetarium experience and an opportunity to explore one of our region’s most unique educational destinations.

The visit also brought together longtime education colleagues Dr. Aron Gabriel, President of Mayland Community College, and Dr. Tracy Grit, Superintendent of McDowell County Schools. Before coming to Mayland, Dr. Gabriel served alongside Dr. Grit as a fellow superintendent—making the day an especially meaningful opportunity to reconnect and continue building relationships between education partners.

At Mayland, we know strong schools, strong colleges and strong communities are connected. Partnerships like these allow us to share ideas, strengthen relationships and ultimately better serve students and communities across our region.

Looking for a memorable setting for your next leadership retreat, professional development day or organizational gathering? Mayland offers several distinctive spaces and experiences for groups throughout the region.

👉 Explore Mayland and connect with us at www.mayland.edu

09/02/2026

Why Wait Until January?

It's easy to say, “I'll just start next semester.”

But before you put your plans on hold for several more months, find out what's available this fall.

A late-start class could mean earning credits, completing a requirement, or simply getting one step closer to the degree, transfer, or career goal you've been thinking about.

A few months from now, you could be saying “I'm glad I started” instead of “I wish I had.”

👉 See what classes may still work for you: www.mayland.edu

08/31/2026

Maybe It's Time to Come Back.

Started college before but didn't finish? Thinking about a career change? Ready to finally take the next step you've been considering?

You don't have to wait for a new year to make a new start.
Mayland Community College may still have opportunities to begin—or begin again—this fall.

One class. One semester. One decision to get moving again.

See where your previous credits and experience could take you.

👉 Start the conversation: www.mayland.edu

08/29/2026

She earned the biology degree. Then she realized the path she had planned wasn't the path she wanted.

Lia entered college thinking pre-med.

But as she neared the end of her bachelor's degree, she started asking herself a different question:

Did she really want another eight years of school?

She knew what she did want.

🧪 Science.
🔬 The lab.
❤️ A career connected to healthcare.
🎓 A path that didn't require years more of school.

After graduation, Lia took Phlebotomy at Mayland Community College. That's when she learned about Mayland's Medical Laboratory Technology program — and found a career path that brought together the things she already knew she loved.

“I love to just be behind the scenes and be in my little nook, doing my job, but still having a tangible impact on people.”

Today, Lia is learning the science behind the tests and results healthcare providers depend on — and she can finally picture herself in the career.

She also has some advice for other biology and science students:
“I feel like if I'd heard about it earlier, that probably would have called to me more.”

Maybe you just haven't heard about it yet, either.

If you love science, biology and the lab — but aren't sure what comes next — take a look at Medical Laboratory Technology at Mayland.

👉 Explore Medical Laboratory Technology: https://www.mayland.edu/degrees-programs/medical-laboratory-technology/

08/28/2026

Were You Going to Register…Then Life Happened?

Work. Family. Vacation. A packed summer. Sometimes the things we plan to do simply don't happen when we planned.

If college was on your list but didn't happen in August, don't write off the entire fall semester.

There may still be an opportunity to get started at Mayland Community College.

Don't turn “I haven't done it yet” into “I'll wait until next year.”

👉 Take a few minutes today and see what's possible: https://www.mayland.edu/academics/

08/28/2026

Our campus is a classroom — but it’s also a gathering place for our community. 💛

This week, Mayland Community College was pleased to open the doors of the Sam Center to approximately 41 participants for the Preserve. Plan. Prosper workshop, bringing landowners and organizations from across North Carolina together for a day of learning, conversation and connection.

Mayland President Dr. Aron Gabriel joined Mitchell County Manager Allen Cook in welcoming the group to campus.

The day’s discussions touched on issues especially important to our region, including forestry restoration following Hurricane Helene, protecting family land, estate and succession planning, conservation, and opportunities to keep working lands productive for future generations.

For Mayland, hosting gatherings like this is part of what it means to be a community college — providing a place where people can connect with resources, share knowledge and work together on issues that matter to the communities we serve.

Thank you to the organizers, presenters and participants for choosing Mayland as the place to come together. We were glad to have you on our campus.



Mitchell County Economic Development Commission
North Carolina Cooperative Ext
Allen Cook