A brilliant young man named Enoch Akinleye has achieved remarkable academic success, from emerging as one of the overall best graduating students at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Nigeria, to securing nine fully funded PhD admission offers from universities in the United States.
His story is one of academic excellence, determination, strategic preparation and a clear commitment to using education and research to solve important health challenges.
Enoch's Story and How He Did It
Enoch’s journey into Biochemistry did not begin according to his original plan. When he gained admission to the University of Ilorin, he had initially chosen Medicine. His interest in the field was partly influenced by his success in the National Biology Olympiad in 2017, where he emerged as the best student.
However, his academic path changed when he was eventually placed in Biochemistry instead. Rather than seeing the change as the end of his original ambition, Enoch began researching the discipline and its prospects.
Although several people advised him against studying Biochemistry because of how demanding the course could be, he decided to continue.
According to Enoch, his decision was also influenced by his faith. He said that after prayers, God revealed Himself to his father in a vision and instructed him to continue with Biochemistry.
Combined with his own research into the opportunities within the discipline, this strengthened his decision to remain in the programme.
Enoch began his undergraduate studies at the University of Ilorin in 2018, and from his first year, he approached Biochemistry with the same seriousness he said he would have given Medicine.
Rather than simply aiming to pass his courses, he set himself a much higher target: graduating with outstanding results in every semester.
His determination became evident from his first year. After recording a perfect 5.0 CGPA at the end of his 100-level year, Enoch became convinced that graduating at the top was achievable.
He later recalled that he had been told it would be almost impossible for a Biochemistry student to emerge as the best graduating student in the Faculty of Life Sciences because of the demanding nature of the discipline and the additional Chemistry courses students had to take.
But instead of allowing those expectations to limit him, Enoch decided to challenge them.
“I knew it would happen, right from my 100-level days. I had been told it was almost impossible for a biochemistry student to come out as the best in the Faculty of Life Sciences. But I told my seniors that I would disprove that myth, regardless.”
He backed that ambition with an unusually intense study routine. Enoch said he sometimes studied for as much as 16 hours at a stretch, stayed awake through most nights and often slept for only about four hours a day. Beyond simply reading for long hours, he deliberately tested his knowledge by solving hundreds and sometimes thousands of past questions across his courses.
And his hardwork and determination yielded good results. Enoch graduated in 2022 with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin with a CGPA of 4.96/5.00.
He emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student in the Department of Biochemistry and the Faculty of Life Sciences, and was also among the top two students out of 13,020 graduating students that year.
After his undergraduate studies, Enoch became a graduate fellow with EducationUSA, where he began his U.S. graduate school application process. Through the programme and the guidance of EducationUSA advisers, he learned more about applying to U.S. universities and navigating the application process.
He has credited EducationUSA with teaching him how to apply to U.S. schools, supporting some of his application expenses, assisting with his visa interview preparation and covering his flight expenses.
His years of preparation eventually produced an extraordinary outcome. In 2025, Enoch secured nine fully funded PhD admission offers from universities in the United States, allowing him to bypass the more conventional route of completing a master’s degree before pursuing a PhD.
Enoch earned offers from Purdue University, with the prestigious Ross Fellowship, Stony Brook University where he secured a PhD admission with an additional fellowship and Purdue University PULSe Programme, with the Lynn Fellowship.
Additionally, he secured offers from Michigan State University, Iowa State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Texas Tech University, Auburn University and University of Vermont.
The funding attached to these offers meant that Enoch was not simply receiving opportunities to study abroad; he had competed successfully for fully funded doctoral opportunities at multiple U.S. institutions.
After considering his options, he chose Stony Brook University, where he is currently pursuing his PhD. Reflecting on his journey, Enoch has repeatedly emphasised that his success was not based on his CGPA alone.
He attributed his undergraduate achievement to his faith, self-belief, deliberate preparation, hard work and willingness to seek guidance. “God works through principles. Methods may not work for everyone, but principles always will,” Enoch said.
He identified believing in himself and choosing to succeed regardless of his background as two principles that shaped his academic journey.
But his later experience with graduate applications taught him another important lesson: a strong CGPA is valuable, but international graduate admission involves much more than grades.
In reflecting on his nine PhD offers, Enoch said: “Many times, we think it is all about CGPA—and that is where we miss it.”
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