Four Questions with Prep for Prep Alumna Enioluwada "Eni" Popoola (XXIX)

Our 2024 Alumni Report features a Q&A with innovative Prep for Prep alum Enioluwada "Eni" Popoola (XXIX/Spence ’13, Harvard ’17) JD, Columbia ’22, a digital content creator, influencer, and entrepreneur. Read on to learn about the key lessons she learned from Prep, the Prep value that resonates with her the most, how she defines success, and what’s on the horizon. 

I. What is a key lesson from Prep for Prep that you’ve taken into adulthood?

You have to put in the work. There’s no way around it. Living your dream lifestyle or working a glamorous job in an unconventional industry does not exempt you from the need to continuously strive for progress. There’s no shortcut to sustainable, lasting success. 

II. Which one of Prep’s core values—Excellence, Integrity, Commitment, Courage—resonates most with you?  

Courage. It takes a lot of courage to stop living life for other people’s approval. It took a lot of confidence and courage to start carving out my own path. But it starts with the little things. If I have the courage to tell someone “no” about something like an unrealistic deadline or my capacity to add something to my plate, I build the courage to live an entire life on my own terms.

III. How do you define success for yourself?

I once had a very rigid definition of success—ivy league degrees, a prestigious job title, esteemed awards—all things that were essentially forms of recognition based highly on image and perception. Success is getting to the place where I am not beholden to a particular job or deal that I know won’t make me happy just because I have no other options. So the goal for me right now is to work to create a life where the possibilities for what I can do next are endless.

IV. Are there any upcoming projects or life events you’d like to share with us? 

I’m working on curating a collection with a large retailer for release at the start of 2025. Be on the lookout for it in stores then!