Polk State’s Media Relations Manager earns national recognition as Sports Information Director of the Month

From his roots as a Polk County native and Florida State University alum, to his seasoned background in sports journalism and media relations, Mike Ferguson has built an award-winning reputation that is now national. College Sports Communicators, representing all colleges nationally, named Ferguson the Two-Year Sports Information Director of the Month for December.

This prestigious award, presented by the organization representing sports communicators across all levels of college athletics nationwide, recognizes exceptional sports information directors who consistently go above and beyond in their role.

Ferguson covers a Polk State Soccer game in 2025.

“We are thankful for his work,” Polk State Athletics Director Randy Lee shared. “Whether it is writing articles promoting our teams, assisting with stats and video and being proactive in other areas of our programs. He often provides social media updates and creates stories late night to keep our webpage fresh and up to date.”

Since joining Polk State in 2022 as Program Manager for Media Relations in the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, Ferguson has elevated the visibility of Polk State Athletics through innovative and consistent multimedia storytelling of the College’s five teams. He launched the Polk State Athletics Yearbook in 2023, which earned a bronze award of excellence from the Association of Florida Colleges Communications and Marketing Commission. He was also integral in the 2022 relaunch of polkeagles.com, which has received both gold and silver honors in recent years.

Ferguson plays in the students versus employees basketball game in 2024.

In his multifaceted role, Ferguson manages the Polk State Athletics social media channels, delivers timely game recaps and crafts engaging human interest features that highlight student-athletes, coaches and their programs. He collaborates closely with Polk State’s multimedia specialists and graphic designers to produce high-quality video and digital content, ensuring a polished and professional presentation of the Eagles’ stories.

Lee also highlighted Ferguson’s initiative in submitting entries through College Sports Communicators to expand the program’s national footprint.

His latest recognition underscores the impact one dedicated communicator can have in amplifying the achievements of student-athletes and their programs on a national stage.

“We are proud,” Polk State’s Associate Vice President of Communications Madison Fantozzi said. “Mike brings a passion for athletics and a skill for storytelling that are unmatched and putting Polk State College on the map.”