
Joggin’ for the Noggin 2016

More than 550 people ran, jogged, or walked in the 5th Annual Joggin’ for the Noggin’ 5k presented by Regal Lakeland in partnership with Florida Blue on Oct. 21 at the Polk State Lakeland campus.…

First Polk State Alumnus Accepted to Juilliard Will Now Study Composition in Finland

AJ Stillabower, Polk State’s first alumnus to study at the renowned Juilliard School, has received a Fulbright scholarship to study composition in Finland. “Not only is the Fulbright award a recognized accomplishment in many professional…

House, Car, Confidence: Polk State Nursing Made All Three Possible for This Alumna

The difference Polk State College makes in the lives of its students is often expressed in numbers: At $112 per credit hour, Polk State offers the region’s most affordable tuition. Eighty percent of students graduate…

From Feelings of Helplessness, Polk State Alumna Creates “Orlando Strong”

At the center of Monday’s events to honor the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting was a painting Polk State alumna Jenny Nguyen created in the hours immediately following the June 12 tragedy. Nguyen…

Polk State’s Top Grads: Inspired by Robotics Project, Chain of Lakes Valedictorian to Study Engineering

Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School’s 2016 valedictorian Rene Respicio is headed to the University of Florida, where, inspired by her experiences at Polk, she will study biomedical engineering. “Coming to (Polk…

For Polk State-Trained EMT, Career Plan B “Happened for a Reason”

When her application to medical school was rejected, a lot of thoughts went through Ada Bobola’s head: Maybe if I’d studied a little harder. Maybe if I’d gotten a B in chemistry instead of a…

Polk State Nursing Alumna: Profession Requires Scientific Mind, Compassionate Heart

Nearly five decades ago, as a way to pay her tuition, Ivadene Howell went to work as a certified nursing assistant. It was just a job. Nothing more than a way to pay the bills…

Migrant Worker Turned Polk State Graduate: “I Knew I was Going to Be Someone One Day”

There were days when a 6-year-old Leonel Navarrete, new to the U.S. and surrounded by English-speaking classmates, felt lonely. There were days when a teenage Navarrete, having worked all day picking or planting, was so…

Clays for Courts

The Polk State College Foundation once again returned to Tenoroc Shooting Center in Lakeland on April 29 for the Regal Lakeland Clays for Courts in partnership with The A.D. Morgan Corporation. This sporting clays event benefits scholarships for…

Sand Volleyball Court

Polk State held the inaugural event on its new sand volleyball court Feb. 26, 2016, with a tournament featuring all five Suncoast Conference teams. Located on the Winter Haven campus, the new court was built…