Shellam Shares Importance of Art and Business Philanthropy in Higher Education
Philanthropist Leslye Shellam shared the importance of supporting college students in both the arts and business during a Sept. 27 panel discussion at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
The first-of-its-kind panel brought together business school and art students in one scholarship presentation to show a greater benefit to the community.
Shellam has a unique perspective with having created scholarships across disciplines at UA Little Rock. She is a major contributor to the L. Dickson Flake Scholarship in honor of her father, one of four original partners of the predecessor to Colliers International, and created the Linda Blaine Flake Scholarship in honor of her mother, who was an artist.
“Leslye has a creative spirit and powerful passion for education,” said Elizabeth Small, director of business networks and instructor of real estate development, who moderated the panel discussion. “Many of us knew Linda and Dickson Flake, and they would have enjoyed their daughter’s desire to help students.”
The panelists also included Michael Johnson, director of development for the College of Business, Health, and Human Services, and Joseph Lampo, director of development for the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education.
“I do love art, and I love business,” Shellam said. “I love it more and more now that I see the creativity in business. Finding the synergies between disciplines, whether it’s nursing or education, that is something we can all offer. My husband Ray and I are grateful to have this opportunity to keep honoring my parents and what their legacy was, and we hope to do that as long as possible.”
The panel also honored some of the 2022-2023 student scholarship recipients, including Flake Scholarship Recipients Ashley Lawrence and Lamar Townsend as well as Linda Blaine Blake Scholarship Recipient Annika Wade.
Wade asked Shellam how her mother’s art inspired her to become a philanthropist, and why she feels so strongly about supporting students today.
“My parents died recently, and this was honoring their legacy,” Shellam said. “My dad was very involved with UA Little Rock. My mom loved it when she got to expose her art to students. You have to do what you think they would have wanted you to do.”
Shellam went on to describe how accessing both your creative and business sides will help people become more successful in life.
“The best accountants get artistic, and the best lawyers come up with the most creative arguments,” Shellam said. “My father was credited with figuring solutions to development issues that were considered impossible, but he looked at it from a different way. I think it was his confidence. He was confident enough to let the creative part of his brain look at the problem from a different angle. He would often discuss a business problem with my mom, who was a fine artist. She would say, ‘Dickson, it’s as simple as this,’ and that was the solution. My mom would do the same thing. My father didn’t have any art background, but he would often have the answer.”
Shellam concluded the panel by presenting all of the student scholarship recipients with cards featuring her mother’s artwork. She also announced the donation of one of her mother’s paintings, “Market Song,” to the UA Little Rock Permanent Art Collection. The painting depicts beautiful songbirds singing while perched in a colorful cage.
