Alex Calder (cont’d)

Goliath Davis

Activities that kept you busy at Rollins: The Black Student Union, studying, playing pool, and attending basketball games.

If you could choose your major today, what would it be? Behavioral ScienceSociology

Favorite Class: French

What went through your mind on your first day as a student? I cannot believe a poor boy from Methodist Town is here with all these rich white folk.

Partner in crime and your favorite memory together: Reggie Brock and the time we spent hanging out with David Cudlipp, James Worthing, Dickey Dayton, and Steve Blakemore.

Your biggest moment of triumph: Graduation

Lesson you learned as a student that you still value today: Hard work has its rewards.

Person you met at Rollins who you will always respect: Lucy Crane, Olive Koon, Ted Marsh, Elinor Miller and Pat Lancaster.

Life Since Rollins: The Rollins experience significantly changed my life. I met wonderful people, studied abroad (Martinique, France and the Bahamas), got a wonderful education, and engaged in many new experiences, e.g. the New York City Urban Fellowship program. I was the first in my family to attend and graduate college. As I walked across the stage to receive my diploma, I looked into the audience and viewed the smiles on the faces of my mother and grandmother. They were so happy and so proud.

After graduation, I returned to St. Petersburg, FL and joined the City’s Public Safety Agency as a Public Safety Agent (Certified Police Officer and Firefighter). When the program was disbanded, I remained as a police officer. I subsequently married my college sweetheart, Theda James, also a Rollins Graduate in 1974. In 1975, I enrolled in the University of South Florida’s graduate program in criminology and earned a Masters Degree in 1977.

I was accepted into the doctoral program in 1977 and, subsequently, obtained a Ph.D. I returned to the St. Petersburg Police Department and received numerous promotions. I was appointed Chief of Police in 1997, retired on October 5, 2001, and became Deputy Mayor on October 8, 2001.

I worked as an adjunct professor at USF as well as a senior advisor to the chancellor of the St. Petersburg Campus and entered retirement full time in 2010.

My most important accomplishments are being a father and grandfather. My eldest daughter is an elementary school teacher and graduate of the University of South Florida. My second daughter is a graduate of Fayetteville State, Army MP, and is a manager of a dental office. The baby girl is a graduate of Greensboro College and has a Masters Degree from Duke University. She is currently a Director of Academic Success. The only boy attended Florida A&M University (BA and MA) and is currently a practicing attorney. He is a graduate of the University of Florida Law School.

All of my grandchildren are either high school juniors or seniors preparing for their college careers.