POLKcast returns for its highly anticipated fifth season, featuring Polk State College’s Phi Theta Kappa Xi Pi Chapter. Hosted by Cole Johnson, the chapter’s Vice President for Leadership, this season tackles the pressing challenges faced by students—insights drawn directly from a survey conducted by the Xi Pi Chapter.

Each episode explores a variety of topics, from emotional and mental stress to the cost of attending college and preparing for classes. With a focus on raising awareness and providing actionable solutions, the Xi Pi Chapter invites a range of expert guests and community leaders to offer valuable resources and guidance for student success.

This season, POLKcast is more than just a conversation—it’s a resource for students to find the support they need to thrive at Polk State College and beyond. In this introductory episode, Johnson sits down with Polk State College President Angela Garcia Falconetti to announce the latest season of POLKcast.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Read the transcript

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