Retired Theatre Director George Randolph Remembered For Larger-Than-Life Personality
George Randolph was a performance always looking for an audience. With passions for students, live theatre, and all things Disney, his larger-than-life personality shined through in all that he would do. The retired Polk State…
Graduating Polk State Student Fought For Her Health And Education
Don’t mistake the purple streaks in Heather Canterbury’s hair as merely an edgy fashion statement. After her battle with the earliest stage of colorectal cancer in the form of malignant polyps, the 30-year-old’s body doesn’t…
She Started College “So Many Times,” Graduating Criminal Justice Student Wasn’t Going To Quit Again
Winsome Francis-Raghu has been in and out of college for nearly 40 years, but this week, her higher-education journey will come to a rewarding end. The 63-year-old will graduate Dec. 14 with a Bachelor of…
Graduating Polk State Student’s Journey To Bachelor’s Degree Was Filled With Obstacles
Brittany Hockman has faced many obstacles during her seven-year journey to a bachelor’s degree, from a car crash that left her with a broken back and short-term memory loss, to an infection that almost left…
Unexpected Heart Transplant Didn’t Stop This Graduating Polk State Student
Michael Pitter remembers the day that changed his life — and his heart. Despite living with chest pains and shortness of breath for more than a month, on May 7, 2015, Pitter was determined to…
She Learned To Fly, Then Found Aviation Career On The Ground
Karissa Strickland always wanted to fly, but didn’t know that aviation was a viable career path until she read about Polk State College’s expanding Aerospace program in the newspaper. The Lakeland native graduated from Mulberry…
Polk State Helps Veterans Transition Back to Everyday Life
Disability Awareness Month: Cerebral Palsy Doesn’t Stop Polk State Student from Pursuing Dreams
India Watson was born 12 weeks early, weighing in at only 1 pound, 7 ounces. She spent the first two months of her life in a neonatal intensive care unit, where she was diagnosed with…
Retired Faculty Member Marshall Ledbetter Remembered for Dedication to Students
Marshall Robin Ledbetter leaves behind a camera shop, thousands of books, and a legacy at Polk State College as a retired faculty member and the patriarch of a family with many alumni. The lifelong educator,…
Student Finds Opportunities in Internships
Allan Hall knows how to seize an opportunity. He’s still a year out from receiving his Associate in Science in Supply Chain Management from Polk State College, but already landed a job in the industry he…