Community Spotlight

“If you want to touch the future, touch a life.” Returning to her alma mater as Polk State College’s April 2026 Distinguished Alumnus, Debbie Harsh stood before graduates not simply as a retired banking executive, but as someone who had lived the kind of life she now urged them to build. Harsh’s story is, in […]

From patrolling Polk County roads to leading one of the region’s most impactful nonprofits, Larry G. Williams, Jr. has spent his life answering the call to serve.  This December, Polk State College celebrated Williams as its Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, honoring a career that began right here at Polk Community College. “When I walked the

With help from the Polk State College Foundation, Kaitlyn Wright is building a future in nursing and setting a new path for her family. When Kaitlyn Wright received her acceptance letter to Polk State College’s Nursing Program in the summer of 2024, she was stunned.  “I could not believe it,” she said. “The day had