
Polk State Professor of Business brings research & worldly experience to the classroom

At Polk State College, students have access to professors with extensive professional experience, published research, and prestige among international industries. One of these faculty members is Professor of Business Paul Howe, who brings decades of…

5 questions with Christina Gesmundo: The value of speech & forensics isn’t debatable

Christina Gesmundo, Professor of Speech and Director of Forensics, has served in her roles at Polk State College since 2013, also coaching the award-winning Polk State Speech & Debate Team and receiving an Endowed Teaching…

Governor DeSantis appoints Polk State President Falconetti to Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention State Advisory Group

Polk State President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday, September 16, 2022, to serve as a member of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention State Advisory Group. President Garcia…

Polk State graduates inaugural President’s Leadership Institute

Polk State College celebrated the graduation of its inaugural President’s Leadership Institute in August comprised of faculty and staff who expanded their learning and experiential skills through this new professional development opportunity. The program is…

Updated Scope of Practice helps Polk State OTA students know range of possibility

For the first time in more than 20 years, Florida’s Occupational Therapy Scope of Practice has been updated, which gives those in the field and Polk State College students pursuing those careers a clearer outline…

Polk State faculty embrace innovative tools & technology to enhance student experience

Faculty and staff at Polk State College are embracing innovative tools and technology that are enhancing the Polk State experience and engaging students in the online environment. The onset of the pandemic required faculty and…

Full circle: Polk State Gateway graduate aims to make difference as staff

Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Collegiate High School staff member Lawerence Shipmon looks to provide the same hope to students that the school once did for him. A long-term substitute and an adjunct professor,…

Congressman Soto honors Polk State’s Gregory Johnson for Caribbean Heritage Month

Congressman Darren Soto recognized Gregory Johnson, Program Director and Professor of Digital Media Technology at Polk State College, on June 27 in honor of Caribbean Heritage Month. Johnson’s biography will be read into the Congressional…

Polk State English Department announces major-specific Composition courses

English composition is a required course for any Polk State College student looking for an Associate in Arts or bachelor’s degree. The English Department, however, is taking a more targeted approach based on students’ fields…

Polk State staff and faculty members celebrate 30+ years of friendship

For more than three decades, Shakia Young and Mary McElrath have been best friends. Despite being best friends for the last 32 years, they’ve only been working together for four months. McElrath began as a…