Polk’s Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Underway, Events Include Exhibits, Movie, Fiesta

Polk State College’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration is underway, with a busy schedule of events that includes art exhibits, a movie night, and the always-popular Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fiesta.

Hispanic Heritage Month is one of several initiatives at the College to spotlight various areas of diversity within the community it serves. Other initiatives include Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Disability Awareness Month.

“Polk State College is a diverse, inclusive institution. People from all backgrounds and walks of life come here in the pursuit of higher education — that’s one of the things that makes us great. We are committed to celebrating the cultural diversity found within our student body because in doing so, we can learn about and from one another, and better understand the community we all share,” said Director of Equity and Diversity Valparisa Baker.

Polk State’s Hispanic enrollment continues to grow, with more than 2,700 students enrolled in 2012-13, the most recent year available. That counts for 16 percent of the College’s student headcount, up from just over 10 percent in 2008-09. The growth in Polk State’s Hispanic enrollment mirrors a countywide trend.

The Hispanic Heritage Month calendar includes:

Hispanic Art Exhibit
Monday-Thursday through Oct. 15
10 a.m. to 1 pm.
Polk State Lakeland LTB Art Gallery

Hispanic Art Exhibit
Passport to Exotic Adventures: Omarr Otero and Terry Mann
Sept. 8-Oct. 30
Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Polk State Lake Wales Arts Center

Hispanic Heritage Kickoff
Sept. 17
11:30 a.m.
Polk State Winter Haven Student Center

Artists Reception — Gallery Talk with Omarr Otero
Sept. 18
5:30 to 7 p.m.
Polk State Lakeland LTB Art Gallery

National Hispanic Heritage Night
Sept. 30
Meet the players at 5:45 p.m.
Volleyball game starts at 7 p.m.
Free food
Polk State Winter Haven Health Center

HHM Movie Night
Featuring “Instructions Not Included”
Oct. 1
3 p.m.
Polk State Lakeland, LLC 2188

Café Con Leche Dialogue: Peru
Oct. 8
1:45 to 3:15 p.m.
Polk State Lakeland, LLC 2205

The Brazilian 2wins
Oct. 9
10 a.m. to noon
Polk State Winter Haven, WST Lawn (in case of rain, event will be moved to the Student Center)

Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fiesta
Oct. 15
11:30 a.m.
Polk State Lakeland Student Center dining hall
RSVP to Nixsa Cruz DelValle, 863.298.6842 or ndelvalle@polk.edu, use subject line “HHM Scholarship Fiesta”
During this event, scholarships will be presented. The deadline to apply for scholarships is Oct. 1.
2014 HHM Criteria and Scholarship Application.

Artists Reception — Gallery Talk with Omarr Otero and Terry Mann
Oct. 16
5:30 to 7 p.m.
Polk State Lake Wales Arts Center

All events are free and open to the public.

Polk State Lakeland is located at 3425 Winter Lake Road. The Polk State Lake Wales Arts Center is located at 1099 State Road 60 East. Polk State Winter Haven is located at 999 Ave. H N.E.

These events are presented in partnership with El Norteno’s of Winter Haven, International Circle of Lakeland, Lakeland Film Society, Lake Wales Arts Council, Phi Theta Kappa Lakeland, Polk State College Foundation, Polk State Lake Wales Arts Center, Student Activities & Leadership Office (SALO).

State Farm is the corporate sponsor of Polk State’s Hispanic Heritage Month.

In addition to Hispanic Heritage Month events at its campuses, the College is a sponsor of Club Hispano de Lakeland’s Hispanic Festival, planned for Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lake Mirror Promenade and Barnett Park in downtown Lakeland. For more information on the festival, call 863.644.5362 or visit clubhispanodelakeland.com.