Winter Haven City Clerk motivated by family and city she serves to achieve Polk State bachelor’s degree
Vanessa Castillo began her higher education journey nearly 27 years ago and this month, she will receive her Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management with a concentration in Public Administration from Polk State…
Graduating Polk State student inspired by family to achieve degree
When Trenton Gray’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, he quickly stepped up to support his family and prioritized work before college. He started working in construction at 18 years old and moved into a supervisor…
Student once told college was not for her is graduating with Polk State bachelor’s degree
When Victoria Baptiste was a junior in high school, a guidance counselor told her that college is not for everyone and that it did not seem like an option for her. “It was one of…
Mom, son & daughter attending Polk State in person & online receive same great education
Tania Chandler and her son, Michael Garcia, are enjoying their Intro to Digital Media class at Polk State College in the hybrid format, which mixes online learning with face-to-face time in the classroom. Meanwhile, Chandler’s…
Pandemic brings three generations to Polk State Digital Media
Katelin Downing is pursuing an Associate in Science in Digital Media Technology degree at Polk State College, where she now has the company of her aunt and grandmother in their Intro to Digital Media class.…
What do classes look like during the pandemic at Polk State? Digital Media explains
Polk State College offers a variety of hybrid classes, but what does “hybrid” really mean? Students, faculty, and staff with the College’s Digital Media Technology Program share what the mix of classroom and online learning…
Polk State Aerospace graduate goes from jumping out of planes to flying them — for Amazon
The extent of John Margaritondo’s experience in aviation when he enrolled in Polk State College’s Aerospace Program in 2016 was jumping out of planes as a machine gunner in the Marine Corps. Now he is…
Winter Haven human resources assistant finds path to helping people at Polk State
Olivia Sanchez was unsure of her career path when she started her college journey, but she knew she wanted to help people. Naturally, she began on a health sciences track, but when she realized medicine…
Winter Haven Regional Airport is home to a team of Polk State Aerospace students & grads
When visiting the Winter Haven Regional Airport, there is a great chance of being greeted by a Polk State College student or alum, with the fixed-base operator’s team of technicians completely comprised of Polk State…
Polk State Aerospace student lands UPS Airlines internship and scholarship
If someone told Ismael Jimenez-Barreto three years ago that he would be interning with one of the largest cargo airlines in the world, he would have doubted them. He was an aeronautical university dropout working…