From rags to riches, an MSU alumnus and motivational speaker, Dr. Eric Thomas, is traveling the world to tell his story while helping others to the path of success as well.

Thomas grew up without a father, he dropped out of high school and was once homeless but he later transformed his pain into power as a young teen from Detroit, Mich.

Thomas was influenced at a young age, by his minister, to get his life on track and from there he went back to school to pursue his GED and become the motivational speaker he is today.

This career path was chosen for Thomas at the end of his freshmen year at Oakwood College when he teamed up with a group of students to spread inspiration every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at the center of the campus.

“We felt like it was something missing, like what we needed; our voice, our issues, our concerns, the institution wasn’t necessarily providing it,” Thomas said. “We felt like as college students, you know peer to peer, presentations were powerful.”

Though most people go to college for educational reasons, Thomas said he only went to college because of the influence of his girlfriend, who has now been his wife for 27 years.

“She went and said she was gone break up with me if I didn’t go,” he said.

But the influence turned out to insufficient when Thomas realized he was both academically and financially unprepared to attend college.

Which led him – from start to finish – to a 12-year undergraduate experience.

Today Dr.Thomas shares his knowledgeable experiences by working with professional sports organizations, fortune 500 companies and universities, including The Success Series at MSU.

Thomas graduated from MSU with his Masters in K-12 administration and PH.D. in education administration. He said MSU was the first school that found his gift in 1995 and they’ve brought him back for programming every year since then.

“I feel like this school is responsible for developing me and helping me to get to that next level and so I always want to give back. My momma said don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

The Success Series is a public weekly program held on MSU's campus that features Dr.Thomas, along with other speakers, in a motivational series.

Although he loves the series that he has started at MSU, Thomas said his biggest dream is the Nobel Prize and he feels that he has more to contribute to the world.

“This program is great but I’ve been doing this for 10 years. I did this without a PH.D., I did this without a masters. The masters and PH.D. is going to prepare me to be able to change the world,” he said. “Who will? Spartans will.”