AMERICA | A brilliant 23-year-old man named Kadeem Charles has made history as the first male valedictorian of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica.
Kadeem graduated with First Class Honours in Data Science, Innovation Management, and Computer Science from the university.
His achievement marks a defining moment for his school, not only for his academic excellence but also for his inspiring story of resilience, purpose, and cultural pride.
Kadeem's Story and How He Did It
Kadeem’s journey to making history began with a completely different dream. Initially, he was drawn to accounting during his time at Antigua State College, and he soon realized many of his peers struggled with the subject.
That challenge sparked an idea: to combine his love for numbers and technology to create an app that would make accounting simpler for students. “I thought, okay, there has to be a better way to do this,” Kadeem recalled.
He enrolled for a Computer Science degree at the university, where he found his true calling in programming. “When playing games, I always wondered how they do this — what goes on in the back end,” he said.
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However, Kadeem’s academic success did not come easily. He almost dropped out of university three times,
First, due to prerequisite complications that extended his degree timeline, then when a miscommunication nearly cost him his scholarship, and finally, because of a deeply personal challenge he chose not to disclose.
“The lows taught me to be resilient and to keep pushing. The highs reminded me of why I started — that success can still be achieved despite hardship,” he shared.
Even after being named valedictorian, Kadeem struggled with imposter syndrome. “I felt like, did I deserve this? I was just aiming for First Class; I wasn’t trying to get top student,” he said.
He credits his success to his strong family support system, especially his mother and aunt, whom he affectionately calls his “two mothers.” “I couldn’t have done any of this solo. Having people to bounce ideas off of makes all the difference — you grow together,” he said.
Expressing her pride for his achievement, Kadeem’s mother shared how her parenting style helped shape his discipline. “Growing up, I didn’t buy Kadeem toys. I bought books, books, and clothes,” she shared.
Beyond academics, Kadeem was also active in other extracurricular activities. He served as a scout leader, played steelpan with Hell’s Gate, joined Interact clubs, and competed for the UWI volleyball team.
In his valedictory address, Kadeem urged his peers to combine innovation with cultural identity. “As we step into an AI-powered future, we must remember that our roots guide our growth. We are not only the engineers of innovation but also the storytellers of tradition,” he said.
Looking ahead, Kadeem plans to develop his accounting education app, targeting secondary school students preparing for CSEC examinations. He is also considering pursuing a master’s degree, with MIT among his dream institutions.
Motivated by his philosophy of lifelong growth, Kadeem remains committed to learning and self-improvement.
“My desire for growth keeps me going,” he said. “I don’t like to stagnate — I’m always asking, what can I do differently today that I didn’t do yesterday?”
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