A Jamaican Experience: From RCDS to IBM: A Pivotal Decision
By: Baron Stewart
From RCDS to IBM: A Pivotal Decision
In the spring of 1978, at 30 years old, I decided to leave RCDS. I loved the kids, but I felt I was outgrowing the school. The new headmaster, Robert Eccles, a conservative prep-school type, was steering the school in a direction that didn’t inspire me. To make matters worse, he didn’t like me. When I handed in my notice, he responded bluntly: “I like that idea—I was planning to ask you to leave anyway.”
The decision to leave, however, wasn’t easy. The children kept me at RCDS, and the school community felt like an extended family. I still remember my last day—John Loch, one of my students, lay in front of my car, begging me not to go. That moment stayed with me. But as much as I loved teaching, I needed something more: better pay, more intellectual challenge, and the chance to work on larger, more robust projects.
I considered returning to Stony Brook to complete my PhD, but after being away for four years, it wouldn’t be a simple transition. I would have to re-enroll, secure funding, and, most daunting of all, make an original contribution to mathematics. Then IBM presented an unexpected opportunity—if I wanted to return to school later, they would pay for my education. That sealed my decision. By choosing IBM, I wasn’t abandoning higher learning—I was forwarding my education and career in a new direction. In fact, after joining the company, I enrolled in New York University’s graduate program to study computer science, which IBM fully funded.
With this in mind, I hired a talent agent to help me find job opportunities in mathematics-related fields.
The Gauntlet of Interviews
The agent quickly scheduled three interviews for me on Wall Street—one with the New York and New Jersey Port Authority and two with actuarial firms. Meanwhile, IBM invited me to take an intelligence test and interview. I would run a gauntlet of career-defining meetings in just four business days.
There was only one problem: my wardrobe.
I have worn blue jeans, sweaters, and hiking boots to school for the past four years. My business attire comprises one dark blue sports jacket, gray pants, a white shirt, and black shoes. I had no choice—I would have to wear the same outfit to every interview. At the end of each day, I air-dried my clothes as best I could and hoped for the best.
The Port Authority interview was first. I didn’t like the environment, so I quickly ruled it out. IBM came next, and I knew I had done well on their intelligence test. It was an IQ-style test that assessed problem-solving skills, which I had always excelled at. George Radin’s glowing recommendation also gave me an edge—IBM was beginning to hire mathematicians as programmers, and his words carried weight. That left the two actuarial firms, which felt like a mental endurance test, but I kept my energy up and powered through.
By the end of the week, I called my talent agent to see if he had received any feedback. He hesitated.
“One of the Wall Street firms liked you, but they have a concern,” he said.
I perked up. “A concern? What kind of concern?”
He shifted awkwardly. “Well… they want to know if you have a chemical problem.”
“A chemical problem?” I repeated. “What does that even mean?”
He smiled nervously. “You know… a chemical problem.”
I scratched my head, trying to decode his cryptic message. Then, it hit me.
“Wait... are you saying I smelled bad at the interview?”
He nodded. “Yeah… they liked you, but you smelled a little stale. The good news? They’re still giving you a second chance next week.”
A Choice That Changed Everything
Determined not to let history repeat, I dug through my closet for a different outfit. I found an old mustard-colored tweed sports jacket and dark brown corduroy pants. I also doused myself in deodorant and cheap cologne, ensuring there would be no "chemical issues" this time.
A little nervous, I returned to Wall Street and landed the job. But before I could even start, IBM called.
I was hired.
The choice was easy. IBM was closer to home so I could stay at Cipe’s house. More importantly, it doubled my salary on the first day. IBM was one of the most prestigious companies in the world at the time, and working there felt like an incredible privilege.
I informed my talent agent that I had chosen IBM over the actuarial firm. There was no question—I was starting as a junior programmer in the Program Information Department (PID) in Hawthorne, New York, just across the Hudson River from Stony Point.
Even though I always regretted not getting my PhD, IBM opened doors I never could have imagined. And just like that, my career took a new trajectory I never could have predicted when I first walked out of RCDS.