LAKELAND, FL — Polk State College will honor its 134th graduating class with two commencement ceremonies on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the RP Funding Center.
The events are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dr. Anne B. Kerr, Interim President of Polk State College, will deliver remarks at both ceremonies. Debbie Harsh, a 1995 Polk Community College graduate, will be recognized as Distinguished Alumna during the morning event. Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas will deliver the keynote address in the evening.
This spring, 1,115 students are eligible to participate. Ninety percent are Polk County residents, with others hailing from 10 states and Puerto Rico. The class includes 173 baccalaureate graduates, 732 Associate in Arts degree recipients, 187 Associate in Science graduates, and 23 certificate earners.
Among the honorees, 105 will graduate Summa Cum Laude, 112 Magna Cum Laude, and 185 Cum Laude, with 49 achieving perfect 4.0 GPAs. The youngest graduate is 16; the oldest is 55.
SOURCE: CITY OF LAKELAND
