| From the Editor |
Alicia Davis, who recently received her Ph.D. at the age of 80, was presented the Tenet Choices Champions award at the New Orleans Saints game on Nov. 16, 2003. She is widow of Ken Davis, who was AP bureau chief in New Orleans in the 1960s.
The award was given to recognize her achievements since she retired from a career in New Orleans city hall where she was corresponding secretary for Mayor Dutch Morial and in the public relations department for Mayor Moon Landrieu.
At the age of 70, she got her first college degree, a bachelor's in English Literature from the University of New Orleans. She got a second bachelor's degree in Spanish at age 71 and a master's in Foreign Languages at age 74.
At 75, she entered the doctoral program of Urban and Public Affairs at UNO, earning her Ph.D. at the age of 80, along with the nickname "Doctor Grandma." Her dissertation was a history of the early days of New Orleans International House and Trade Mart.
While attending school, she became a resource for foreign students having trouble with English. Having grown up in Honduras, she knew how it felt to be in a different country far from home.
"I met with a number of foreign students once or twice a week just to talk, and if someone just couldn't understand something in English I would talk to them in Spanish," Davis said. "For those who didn't speak Spanish either, I would get creative and use catalogs to help me through some of the language barriers."
The award, sponsored by Tenet Choices health plan in collaboration with the Saints, was established to recognize the unique capabilities of seniors.