Grove Worker to College Graduate: Polk State Alumnus Daniel Jaime Uses His Life Story to Advocate for Education
Daniel Jaime was raised in Polk County’s orange groves. As a baby, he slept in a picking sack tied from the tree branches. As a toddler, his playpen was a fruit crate. When he outgrew…
Twanna Dewdney, Two-Time Polk Grad, Uses Salon as AIDS Test Site, Place of Hope
Yes, she cuts hair and does makeup for a living, but the words “stylist” or “cosmetologist” don’t come close to describing Twanna “T-Fay” Dewdney’s work. “Advocate” is much more accurate. Dewdney, a two-time Polk State…
Polk State Grad Finds Fulfillment Each Day in Work as Paramedic
Two pivotal years and a Polk State degree set Margaret Orozco on a path she never thought possible, and in following it, she’s found fulfillment she never could have imagined. “I love coming to work,” said…
Polk Dean Focused on Accessibility: “We Have to Help Students See Themselves Here”
For Polk State’s Sylvester Little, education — literally overnight — saved him from poverty. In the decades since, he’s helped countless students believe in their own potential, achieve their goals, and transform their lives. He’ll continue…
Polk State Alumnus Receives Scholarship to Study at Juilliard School
This fall, like millions of students across the country, Polk State alumnus AJ Stillabower will be heading back to the classroom. Only it will be a classroom at the renowned Juilliard School. And he will…
At Polk, Kimberly Myers Finds the Fuel for Her Dream of Becoming a Scientist
For as long as she can remember, Kimberly Myers has wanted to be a scientist. For nearly as long, she has heard the many reasons why she’ll never be one. She’s not smart enough. She’s…
Polk PTA Alumnus: Don’t Be Afraid to Make a Career Change
The scariest day of Paul Canady’s life was the day he handed in his resignation, officially quitting his job as a bus mechanic. His heart pounded. His palms were sweaty. But something inside him told…
Starting a New Life: Retired Air Force Colonel is Now Biology Professor at Polk
It’s a Wednesday afternoon at Polk State Winter Haven, and a new biology professor is teaching aspiring nurses about the circulatory system. He’s an affable man, likeable even when correcting his students, tough but willing…
Polk Grad Finds Fulfillment in Second Career as Respiratory Therapist
Some things are just worth waiting for, no matter how long it takes. Such was the case with Kellie Mislovic’s career as a respiratory therapist. “I love my job, and I’m definitely happier because of…
With Push From Polk State, Alumnus Has Built His Life on Music
On any given day, you might find Jordan Burks leading his Auburndale Central Elementary students in a discussion on the future of music. Or tutoring the most musically inclined of those students after school. Or…