POLKcast: Recent Episodes
Polk State College
In this episode of POLKcast: The SGA Takeover, co-hosts Subrina Akter and Alex Gonalez sit down with the Student Government Association Vice President for the Winter Haven Campus, Fenil Barot, to talk about the positive impact the Student Activities and Leadership Office (SALO) and SGA have had on his college experience. He shares who and what inspires him, the mentors and friends he has gained, and how Polk State’s student life fosters a family-like culture.
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In this episode of POLKcast: The SGA Takeover, Winter Haven Campus Student Engagement Specialist Mario Aguirre shares how the Student Government Association supports students in “making the most” of their time in college. Aguirre strategizes, develops, and executes initiatives and events that foster peer involvement in student life, networking among students, and connection to college resources. He also serves as Team Leader of Polk State’s Up to Us chapter, which advocates for a sustainable fiscal future and educates students on financial responsibility.
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POLKcast returns for its fourth season with the Student Government Association’s takeover of Polk State College’s official podcast.
Hosts Subrina Akter and Alexander Gonzalez sit down with President of the Winter Haven Campus SGA Jonasia Hilliard to discuss student life, school-life balance, mental health, and resources for students.
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A former two-way player and member of Head Coach Al Corbeil’s first Polk State Baseball team, Chris Noble went on to achieve stardom on the reality television series, Survivor. Noble later worked as a model in New York and Chicago and as a personal trainer. His image even appeared on a Versace billboard on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Noble revisits his time at Polk State, his reality TV experience, and his career accomplishments in the final episode of POLKcast’s third season.
Read the transcript
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This POLKcast guest is the person you’d want on your trivia team for Polk County history. Students – if you’re doing research on Polk, listen closely. We’re joined by Myrtice Young, the Historic Preservation Manager for Polk County.
She graduated from Polk State College with an Associate in Science degree in 1970 and later returned to complete an Associate in Arts in 1980. In 2005, she was named a Polk State Distinguished Alumna.
Read the transcript
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A two-time All-American at Polk State College in 2007 and 2008, Kim Newsome-Reynolds was a goal-scoring machine for the program. Named the 2007 Polk Women’s Athlete of the Year, Newsome later starred at the University of Central Florida where she was recognized as an All-Conference USA selection in 2010. The Apopka native went on to play professionally in the United States in 2016 with the Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League.
In this episode of POLKcast, Newsome-Reynolds reflects on her Polk State career, life in soccer, and more.
This episode was recorded in December 2022.
Read the transcript
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In this episode, POLKcast sits down with Nikki Smith, founder of ASAP Prints who received her Associate in Arts degree from Polk State in 1991. ASAP Prints is a commercial print shop located in Winter Haven and has been listed as one of the Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
She was awarded the Polk State Distinguished Alumna Award in the spring of 2019 and says it was a moment to be cherished forever.
As a business leader, creative consultant, and philanthropist, Smith and her husband, Ed, continuously give back to the community, giving more than $30,000 in scholarships to the Polk State Foundation in just the last few years. They believe in the power of education and investing in helping others.
Read the transcript
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POLKcast, Polk State College’s official podcast, returns for its third season featuring distinguished alumni and standout athletes. Guests come from diverse walks of life and a variety of career fields, but they all have a commonality: they have built on the strong foundation they gained at Polk State.
A former Polk State Basketball forward and FCSAA state champion, Bart Ross is a Lakeland business owner and fervent supporter of the program. Ross played under and served as an assistant coach to legendary Josh Giles. Ross shares stories from his days as a player and an assistant and gives a unique perspective on how things have come full circle as he watches his former coach’s son, Brandon, lead the hoops program.
Read the transcript
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Sheriff Grady Judd joins POLKcast to share about his 50 years with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and how it all started right here at Polk State College.
Sheriff Judd is a Polk State Distinguished Alumnus who went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rollins College. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Senior Management Institute for Police, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, and the FBI National Executive Institute.
Read the transcript
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POLKcast, Polk State College’s official podcast, returns for its third season featuring distinguished alumni and standout athletes. Guests come from diverse walks of life and a variety of career fields, but they all have a commonality: they have built on the strong foundation they gained at Polk State.
In this episode, Greta Cecchetti shares about her softball career across the globe after retiring her Eagles jersey in 2013. Cecchetti is the first born-and-raised Italian to play softball at the NCAA Division I level. She is also the first born-and-raised Italian to play professional softball in Japan; she was a member of Team Italy at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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POLKcast, Polk State College’s official podcast, returns for its third season featuring distinguished alumni and standout athletes. Guests come from diverse walks of life and a variety of career fields, but they all have a commonality: they have built on the strong foundation of knowledge they gained at Polk State College.
In this episode, Christine Samuel, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the City of Winter Haven, shares her experience from serving as a custodian at the College to becoming a proud Polk State graduate who is making a difference in the Polk County community.
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POLKcast, Polk State College’s official podcast, returns for its third season featuring distinguished alumni and standout athletes.
The alumni featured this season come from diverse walks of life, have established successful careers in a variety of fields, and all have a commonality: they have built on the strong foundation of knowledge they gained at Polk State College to make differences in their lives, their families, their respective careers, and in the community.
In this kick-off episode, Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti and District Board of Trustees Immediate Past Chair Ashley Bell Barnett share about the upcoming season. Tune in to new episodes every first and third Friday on polk.edu/POLKcast, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.
Transcript: Read here
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In the last episode of POLKcast season 2, Winter Haven Library and Teaching Learning Computing Center Director Chris Fullerton and Librarian Jarrod Jones share one of the newest resources available to students — the Student…
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In this episode of POLKcast, Professor Rebecka Ramos entertains some grammar jokes and shares about Polk State College’s The Writing Studio — a valuable tutoring resource for students to receive assistance from the College’s dedicated…
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Tracy Porter is Executive Director of the Polk State College Foundation, which awards approximately $1.5 million in scholarships to Polk State students each year. In this episode of POLKcast, Porter shares the support that is…
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In this episode of POLKcast, Polk State JD Alexander Center Director Andy Oguntola shares the critical importance of the Lake Wales Campus, which serves approximately 1,100 students each year — many who would not be…
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Coordinator of Veterans Services Byron Loyd joins POLKcast for an episode in honor of those who have served in the military. Loyd shares the support available to veterans who are students at Polk State College…
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In this episode of POLKcast, Teaching Learning Computing Center (TLCC) Manager Kim DeRonda shares resources that are available at Polk State College to help students in need of food, hygiene products, information on social services,…
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For Disability Awareness Month, Director of Disability and Counseling Services Kim Pearsall joins POLKcast to share the resources available to students at Polk State College to overcome barriers and eliminate boundaries along their college journeys.…
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College can be difficult and finding a career after graduation can seem overwhelming, but Polk State’s Career Development Services gives students the guidance and skills they need to network with peers and employers, write resumes…
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Polk State’s First Year Experience (FYE) Program helps students transition to college and figure out what they are called to do academically and professionally. In this episode of POLKcast, Director of Academic Success Initiatives Cate…
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Season 2 of POLKcast aims to highlight the different services and resources available to students at Polk State College, from scholarships and career services to campus food pantries and disability services. In this “presidential” episode…
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When Dean of Student Services Larry Pakowski isn’t assisting students with navigating their college journeys, he’s helping others determine their “true colors” through the personality-identification system used by educational institutions, businesses, and government organizations as…
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Director of Purchasing Mark Lillquist joins POLKcast to talk about Star Wars and how he uses his interest in the epic space opera media franchise for good. As part of Star Wars costuming group 501st…
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Dr. Annette Hutcherson, Director of Polk State’s Nursing Program, takes listeners on a world tour in this episode of POLKcast. While many know Dr. Hutcherson for her expertise in Nursing education, some may not be…
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At Polk State, John Fynn is known for his passion for mentoring and motivating students, but many may not know that outside of the College he is popular for his hat- and fascinator-making skills. Inspired…
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A man of many hobbies, Polk State Biology Professor Joey Maier joins POLKcast to talk about shark tagging and how students can get their feet wet in Guadeloupe this spring break on a study abroad…
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The work of Polk State Professor of Art Holly Scoggins is described as a Southern Gothic memoir that leaves viewers with something “beautifully haunted.” In this Halloween-inspired episode, POLKcast delves into the creepy, thought-provoking experiences…
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Melvin Thompson may be the POLKcast guest that students know best. Thompson serves as the Director of the Student Activities and Leadership Office (SALO), but some may not know that he is an avid 80s…
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Dive into POLKcast with Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School Guidance Counselor Peter Preston, lead singer of rock band Zen Fuse Box, credited with POLKcast’s catchy theme music. Read the transcript …
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