A new endowed scholarship created by SILLE Educational Consulting, LLC and the BELL Program will open doors for future students at Philander Smith University, blending academic achievement with a deep commitment to service and social justice.
The Ellis Smith Williams Academic and Service Excellence Scholarship was announced during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service at Greater Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in partnership with Philander Smith University. The scholarship will support students majoring in programs within the School of Business, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship or the Dr. Jocelyn Elders School of Allied Health, home to the university’s newly accredited nursing program.
The scholarship was established by Drs. Stanley and Jessica Ellis, in honor of Jessica’s mother, Mrs. Sandra Loring Smith, and in memory of their children, Julius Maxwell Stanley Ellis and Juliána Loren Olivia Ellis, as well as Jessica’s father, Mr. Chester Dene Smith, and Stanley’s mother, Ms. Ethel R. Williams. The endowment reflects a deeply personal commitment to education, community and generational impact.
A 2003 graduate of Philander Smith University and current vice chair of Philander Smith’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Jessica Ellis said the scholarship is rooted in her own experience as a student whose life was changed through access to higher education.
“I am honored to have the ability to establish this scholarship at my alma mater,” Ellis said. “As a former student who attended Philander on a full academic scholarship, I understand the value of scholarships and the education Philander provides in Central Arkansas. My goal is to support the students of Philander as well as the institution.”
Her husband, Dr. Stanley Ellis, president and CEO of SILLE Educational Consulting, LLC and the BELL Program, said the scholarship is just the beginning of a long-term vision to expand access and opportunity for students who are determined to change their communities.
“We are thrilled about supporting the mission of Philander Smith University to graduate academically accomplished students, grounded as advocates for social justice, determined to change the world for the better,” Stanley Ellis said. “Our intent is to continue supporting this scholarship and make it a full-ride scholarship in the near future.”
The scholarship partners, SILLE Educational Consulting, LLC and the BELL Program, share a common focus on youth development, leadership and educational access. Since 2005, SILLE has trained youth to serve, lead and succeed through consulting, training and motivational education, guided by the belief that all young people have the capacity to achieve.
The BELL Program works with inner-city youth across Central Arkansas, providing literacy-focused academic support alongside leadership, etiquette, business competency and life skills training designed to improve long-term educational and career outcomes.
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