Polk State College

Polk State College (PSC) is a public college based in Winter Haven, Florida, United States, and is part of the Florida College System. Established in 1964, PSC operates its main campuses in Winter Haven and Lakeland, with additional education centers in Bartow and Lake Wales. The college offers both associate and bachelor’s degrees.

Polk State College

Former names	Polk Junior College (1964–1971)[1] Polk Community College (1971–2009)[1]
Type	Public college
Established	1964; 61 years ago (1964)
Parent institution	Florida College System
Accreditation	SACS
Endowment	$34.1 million (2024)[2]
Budget	$70 million (2024)[3]
President	Angela Garcia Falconetti
Academic staff	150 (full-time)[4] 212 (part-time)[4]
Undergraduates	8,180 (fall 2022)[4]
Location	Winter Haven , Florida , United States
Campus	Small city[4]
Colors	Red, yellow, and black
Nickname	Eagles
Sporting affiliations	NJCAA Region 8 – Suncoast Conference
Website	www.polk.edu

PSC also operates three charter high schools on its Winter Haven and Lakeland campuses, allowing high school students to earn an Associate in Arts degree while completing their high school diploma.^[5]

The college also participates in the Suncoast Conference of the NJCAA Region 8, offering athletic programs in men's basketball, baseball, and women's cheerleading, soccer, softball, and volleyball. The men’s basketball team has won several conference and regional championships.^[6]

Notable people

• Alec Asher, professional baseball player
• Mark Brisker, American-Israeli professional basketball player
• Robert Gilchrist, professional basketball player
• Denise Grimsley, member of the Florida House of Representatives
• Maryly Van Leer Peck, academic
• Dean Pelman, Israeli-American baseball pitcher for the Israel national baseball team
• Lawrence Scarpa, architect
• Lorenzo Williams, professional basketball player