Polk State College will break ground on its Haines City-Davenport Campus on Oct. 9 — a dream nearly 20 years in the making that is coming to fruition thanks to the support and growth of the Polk County community.
Providing a Polk State education closer to home for the growing population of Northeast Polk will increase access to life-transforming opportunities for residents who currently commute 30 miles roundtrip to reach the closest Polk State location.
The Polk State Haines City-Davenport Campus will remove barriers such as the time and cost to reach the nearest campus — a pivotal point for a college that serves a population that is predominately part time, with students balancing full-time jobs, raising families and other responsibilities with the pursuit of their academic and career goals.
Polk State is grateful to benefit from approximately $30 million from the Florida Legislature , $3 million from Mr. Barney Barnett and his family , as well as $130,000 raised through the Polk State Foundation’s A Night of Legacy in support of the Haines City-Davenport Campus.
These significant investments are a testament to not only the critical need for quality higher education in Polk County’s fastest-growing region; but also to the community’s trust in Polk State to deliver in-demand workforce training that will contribute directly to the economic development of Northeast Polk.
The Polk State Haines City-Davenport Campus will provide 75,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classroom, laboratory and office space serving programs in health sciences, hospitality and tourism management, supply chain and logistics, teacher education and the associate in arts degree.
With a focus on the health sciences due to growing workforce demands in healthcare, the campus will include Central Florida’s first public higher education interdisciplinary simulation hospital. Students in programs including cardiovascular technology, diagnostic medical sonography, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapist assistant, radiography, and respiratory care will receive hands-on training in a real-world, high-technology environment.
This would not be possible without the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Polk County Legislative Delegation, the Polk State District board of trustees, the Polk State Foundation board of directors, and the 80 sponsors and generous donors who contribute to the Foundation’s annual A Night of Legacy gala in support of this project. The work of the local delegation and support of our boards and donors are greatly valued as Polk State continues to advocate for $17.5 million to complete the development of the Polk State Haines City-Davenport Campus.
Within a 10-mile radius of the site, there are approximately 80,000 residents with a high school diploma or some college but no degree, and nearly 32,000 residents who are 18 or younger. This is a population with potential to meet growing workforce needs in an area where 17,000 new jobs are projected in the next decade.
As the Polk State Haines City-Davenport Campus groundbreaking celebrates the growth of Polk County, it also looks ahead to meeting the needs of a population that continues to grow. This comes at a serendipitous time for Polk State, which is celebrating 60 years of service to Polk County and exponential growth since 1964.
With approximately 60,000 alumni and 70% Polk State students remaining in Polk County after graduation, the impact of Polk State on our community is undeniable. That is why We are Polk , and Polk State is proud to establish its campus in Haines City-Davenport.
Angela Garcia Falconetti is the president of Polk State College.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk State Haines City-Davenport celebrates growth of Polk County | Guest column
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