Eric

Eric D. Thomas was born on September 3, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His early life involved significant challenges, including dropping out of high school and experiencing two years of homelessness on the streets of Detroit. A turning point came when he was encouraged by a pastor to pursue his G.E.D. and a college degree. He subsequently met his future wife, De-De Mosley, and together they moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where they attended Oakwood University. Thomas spent twelve years earning his undergraduate degree from Oakwood, graduating in 2001. During this period in Huntsville, he also engaged in ministry and initiated programs to support underprivileged youth.

In 2003, Thomas continued his academic journey at Michigan State University (MSU) with a fellowship, simultaneously taking a job as an academic advisor. He completed his master’s degree in K-12 Administration with an emphasis in Educational Leadership from MSU in 2005. While at MSU, he co-developed The Advantage, an undergraduate retention program aimed at academically high-risk Black and Latino students. He also served as senior pastor at A Place of Change Ministries (APOC Ministries) in Lansing, Michigan, further demonstrating his commitment to community and personal development.

Thomas achieved a Ph.D. in Education Administration from Michigan State University in 2015. His career as a motivational speaker gained significant traction, with his speeches becoming widely popular on YouTube. He has delivered motivational talks to collegiate and professional athletes, and his work has been featured on various platforms, including sampling on tracks by deep house producers Disclosure and rapper Meek Mill. Thomas’s journey from overcoming adversity to achieving academic and professional distinction underscores his message of perseverance and success.