Enterprise City Schools Superintendent Dr. Zel Thomas encouraged TROY Dothan graduates to have faith, dream big and give back in his commencement address Sunday afternoon.

Thomas earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1994 and his master’s degree in education leadership in 1998, all from TROY Dothan.

“I’ve sat where you sit twice—I understand where you’re coming from,” he said to the graduates. “This is just opening a door; this is not your endgame. Don’t settle. This is a big accomplishment, but this is not the end.”

In his address, Thomas laid out a path for success for the new graduates to follow: have faith, dream big, have a plan and work hard.

“Trust in the Lord. I can’t speak to your situation, but I have been blessed beyond measure through the years, and one of the biggest blessings I’ve received is being surrounded by the right people at the right time,” he said. “Some may be there for a season, and some may be there for a lifetime, but they were all there when I needed them to be there. I have a lot of people in my life to be thankful for, and so do you.”

Thomas said while a large part of the work was behind them, their work is not yet finished. He encouraged the graduates to “dream big” and continue to set goals.

“Don’t take the easy road—the easy road is filled with regret,” he said. “Challenge yourself, continue to learn, continue to strive to be better and prepare yourself for the blessings to come as you move forward.”

Dreams can shift and grow, Thomas said, and urged the graduates to develop a plan and to never forget those who helped them along the way.

“Right now, you can’t see where you may ultimately end up,” he said. “Set a plan, figure out what it is going to take for you to make the dream a reality. And whenever you get to where you’re going, don’t forget to help those coming behind you. Be willing to take a chance on someone.”

The last step in the path for success is to work hard and continuously fight comfortability.

“When you figure out your plan, the last part is the work. You have to grind, but never chase the money,” he said. “Comfortability is the opposite of challenge. If you get too comfortable, you’re not going to grow.”

After earning his two degrees from TROY, Thomas obtained his Ph.D. in adult education from Auburn University in 2018. He has served as Superintendent in the Enterprise City Schools System since 2021, but has worked in public education for over 30 years.

Thomas is an active member of various professional organizations, serving a board member of the Troy Regional In-service Center and the Enterprise Chamber of Commerce. He also holds significant positions within the National Beta Club, including Alabama State Chair and a member of the National Board of Directors.

He is married to Judy Thomas, also a TROY alumna, and the pair have two daughters, Marisa and Makayla.

A gallery of images can be found here.