Kadeem Charles Named UWI Five Islands Valedictorian, Urges Graduates to Embrace AI Future with Responsibility
Kadeem Charles, who earned first-class honours in Data Science, Innovation Management and Computer Science, was named valedictorian of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus Class of 2025, delivering an inspiring address on resilience and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Speaking under the theme “Pelicans in an AI-Driven Future: Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow,” Charles reflected on his academic journey and the obstacles that nearly forced him to leave university. “There were at least three occasions when I almost dropped out,” he said. “Each time I leaned on faith, on my lecturers, on my colleagues, and on the optimism that tomorrow could be brighter.”
Charles told graduates that his passion for gaming first sparked his love of technology and eventually led him to his current job as a fraud analyst. “It showed how the skills I gained here could be applied to real-world problems in a technology-driven, AI-powered age,” he said.
He recalled moments of doubt early in his studies, noting that he almost lost his scholarship in his first year. “It was a humbling moment filled with doubts and comparisons,” he said. “But I realized the only true comparison worth making was to myself. I picked myself up, studied smarter, and pushed harder to move forward.”
The valedictorian emphasized that his time at UWI Five Islands taught him more than academics. “The university gave me resilience when I wanted to give up,” he said. “It gave me lifelong companions and opportunities I never could have created on my own.”
He spoke fondly of late-night hackathons, volleyball matches and student club activities, describing them as lessons in teamwork and creativity. “The best way to grow is to grow with others,” Charles said, addressing an audience that included Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the Governor General’s Deputy Sir Clare Roberts and other dignitaries.
Charles also spoke about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, noting its impact on industries from healthcare to disaster prediction. “Artificial intelligence will transform the world of work, of business, of creativity itself,” he said. “From predicting hurricanes to diagnosing illnesses, AI is changing lives. But it also forces us to confront issues of privacy, job disruption and dependence on machines.”
“These are not just global issues—they are Caribbean issues too,” he said, urging graduates to lead with ethics and empathy. “We must ensure that technology serves us and not the other way around.”
He told his classmates that while AI may change how people work and live, Caribbean graduates are prepared to face that future with confidence. “While AI may shape our tools, it is our tradition of resilience, of community, of creativity that shapes who we are,” he said.
Charles closed by thanking his family, lecturers and classmates for their support. “To God who guided me, to our families who sacrificed with us, to our lecturers and staff who supported and shaped us, and to you, my fellow graduates, who stood beside me — especially School of Science Computing and Artificial Intelligence —. I would not be here without you,” he said.
“Congratulations to the class of 2025. Let us continue to rise together.”
The 2025 graduation ceremony underscored the UWI Five Islands Campus’s expanding role in developing the region’s next generation of innovators and leaders. Charles’s address, blending gratitude and determination, reflected the optimism of a class stepping confidently into an AI-powered future.
