Southwestern Community College was established in Sylva on Dec. 1, 1964 as the Jackson County Industrial Education Center, a satellite unit of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Institute. Since achieving independent status in the fall of 1967, the College (then known as Southwestern Technical Institute) has greatly expanded its educational and training services to the residents of Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. Currently, including all diploma, certificate and associate's degree curricula as well as concentrations, instruction is provided in more than 60 programs.