Ryan senior going to Princeton on full scholarship

Princeton University accepted less than 6 percent of applicants last year, making it one of the most selective colleges in the country.

This fall’s freshman class will include David Eniola, a soft-spoken senior at Archbishop Ryan High School. He didn’t just get in, either. Eniola was awarded a full academic scholarship.

“It’s nice that I don’t have to worry about any more college stuff anymore,” Eniola told the Northeast Times right at the start of a recent interview.

Eniola, 17, who lives in Lawncrest, is known at Ryan for his loves of turtles. He plans to study biology at Princeton before going to medical school to become a doctor.

“I really love animals and learning more about the human body,” he said.

Eniola, who went to St. Martin of Tours School in Oxford Circle, is intelligent and determined, Ryan teacher Mary Beth Sullivan said.

“You don’t really notice David because he’s so quiet, until his grades start coming in and you’re like, woah, look at this guy,” said Sullivan, who wrote one of Eniola’s recommendation letters for Princeton. “He is a hard worker. He is very creative.”

Princeton is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the top university in the country, but Sullivan doesn’t think Eniola will be put off by the difficult course load.

“I think he likes the challenge,” she said.

At Ryan, Eniola is involved in the National Honor Society and mathletes team. His friends threw him a surprise party at the school after finding out he was accepted to Princeton, according to Principal Joseph McFadden.

Eniola also had a message to share in light of his recent accomplishment.

“When I first found out I was accepted to Princeton, I was really shocked. I didn’t believe it at first,” he said. “If you see something you want to do, you should go for it and don’t be afraid of what might happen.” ••
Jack Tomczuk can be reached at jtomczuk@newspapermediagroup.com