
Polk State College Fall 2022 Commencement Photo Gallery

Polk State College hosted its 127th commencement ceremony on Thursday, December 8, at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, where members of the Fall 2022 Graduating Class celebrated with their families, friends, and supporters.

On-campus labyrinth to serve as stress reliever for Polk State students

Final exam week can bring added stress for college students, but for Polk State College, a permanent stress relief tool is in the works. Professor Mary Ann Murdoch is leading the charge to bring a…

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…

Polk State Gateway sets Tufino family up for success

Gina Tufino’s oldest daughter was enrolling in classes at Polk State College when a glance changed the educational path for her younger children. Come next school year, Tufino will have had four children attend Polk…

Polk State food pantries provide critical resources for students in need

More than 95,000 people in Polk County – about 15% of residents – are unsure whether they have enough food to feed their families three meals a day, according to the United Way of Central…

Polk State SALO celebrates Welcome Weeks

Polk State College’s Student Activities & Leadership Office (SALO) celebrated the start of the Fall 2022 Semester with welcome events on the Lakeland and Winter Haven campuses, including free food, activities, club rush, vendor days,…

Polk State SGA president uses platform to raise sickle cell awareness

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disease in the U.S. and comes with many complications. Aaliyah Jones, president of Polk State College’s Student Government Association (SGA) on the Lakeland Campus, has…

Polk State LSAMP students present plan for safer drinking water at national competition

What’s the big idea? For a trio of Polk State College students, the answer was making drinking water safer. Tyrece Frater, Emily Garcia, and Anthony Diaz Ortega presented their big idea earlier this month in…

Polk State head basketball coach, incoming transfers inspired by accomplished fathers

Father’s Day is one of those days where men and women from across the country reflect on the impact their fathers have made on their lives. Polk State Basketball Head Coach Brandon Giles has perhaps…

Polk State student utilizes career assessment, STEM programs to land geomatics internship in Ohio

When Selia Nunez began studying at Polk State College, she envisioned a career in a physical therapy office. Now, she might have her sights set on the ocean, thanks to a career assessment and a…


 