Associate of Arts degree is just the beginning for Adekunle Popoola

May 16, 2017

Adekunle Popoola will receive an Associate of Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College later this week. For most students, that would be the final step of their Tri-C journey. But Popoola isn’t close to finished.

Popoola will receive his associate degree and head right back to the Metropolitan Campus to continue studying for an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, which he is on track to receive next May.

“After that, I intend to move on and get a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Kent State or Akron, and eventually work toward my master’s,” Popoola said.

A native of Nigeria, Popoola came to the U.S. in 2014 to live with local family. He originally enrolled at Cleveland State University, but after reviewing his financial situation, decided instead to enroll at Tri-C.

“It was more affordable to spend the first two years here,” Popoola said. “I started class at Tri-C in 2015, and it has been a great experience so far.”

Popoola has taken those opportunities and turned them into a long list of accolades. He is a member of The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholars Academy, Phi Theta Kappa and the Honors Program, carrying a 3.9 GPA. He has won the All-Ohio Academic Scholar Award, the 2016 Frances M. Franklin Scholarship Excellence Award and made the dean’s list in both 2015 and 2016.

In addition, Popoola volunteers his time as a mentor with the Black American Council and volunteers at St. Malachi Parish, serving meals to the homeless and disadvantaged.

After he’s done with schooling, Popoola wants to stay in the U.S. and become a nurse practitioner.

“Tri-C has provided me with a great start,” Popoola said. “There have been a lot of opportunities to improve myself. They’re opportunities I probably would not have had in my home country. I’m very glad I decided to come here.”

Throughout the month, we will be highlighting members of this spring's Tri-C graduating class. Click here to read more of their stories.