On Tuesday, Jan. 8, speaker, author and pastor Eric Thomas, also known as E.T. the Hip-Hop Preacher, rocked Eastern Michigan University’s Student Center Grand Ballroom.

The event, sponsored by I.M.A.G.E., Campus Life, Student Government, EMU Athletics, EMU College of Business and the African-American Studies department, aimed to bring a positive message to the EMU community, encouraging students to achieve greatness.

Thomas grew up in Detroit and has been speaking to audiences for about twenty years. He has garnered a following of more than 67,000 people on Twitter and his book, “The Secret to Success,” has earned overwhelmingly positive reviews on both Amazon and Barnes & Nobles website.

“The most important thing is this — to be able at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you will become,” Thomas said in a video featured on his website, urging his audience to put down their cell phones and other distractions in order to focus on success.

To learn more about Thomas, visit his website at etinspires.com.