Recent graduate becomes Lakeland Collegiate’s first National Merit Scholar

Less than a month after graduating from Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School, Madison Dolan has made history.

On June 3, Dolan was recognized as a winner of a National Merit Scholarship – the first winner from Lakeland Collegiate. Of the 1.3 million students who entered the program, less than 7,000 received National Merit Scholarships.

Nearly $24 million in scholarship funds have been awarded to the winners for undergraduate study. Dolan was among 16,000 semifinalists in the fall and recognized as a finalist during the Spring 2026 Semester.

National Merit Scholars must have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed by a school official and perform well on the ACT and/or SAT. They are also required to write an essay.

In addition to earning her diploma last month, Dolan graduated from summa cum laude with her Associate in Arts from Polk State College on April 30. She will attend the University of Florida this fall with the hopes of becoming a genetic engineer. With a family history of Huntington’s disease, Dolan plans to research genomes and look for ways to positively affect society.

During her time in high school, Dolan was a member of Lakeland Collegiate’s National Honor Society and Psychology Club. Outside of school, she plays the violin and volunteers with SPCA Florida and the United Way of Central Florida.

Lakeland Collegiate is one of Polk State’s three collegiate high schools along with Lakeland Gateway to College Collegiate High School and Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School. In most cases, students graduate simultaneously with their high school diplomas and an Associate in Arts at no cost to them.

During the fall, Chain of Lakes’ Abigail Leyte-Vidal was recognized as a National Merit Commended Student. Abigail Matta became Gateway’s first National Merit Scholar in 2021.