For the Love of Fisk: Lamar Allen

By Jada Thompson
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Fisk University

Today, Lamar Allen’s creativity serves both the Nashville community and global names like Google, Amazon, and Sony Music. But his path to that level of impact began with a gift he carried to Fisk, and a community that nourished his passion.

A freshman settling into his dorm in New Livingstone, Lamar Allen arrived at his new home of Fisk University with a passion he had carried since childhood. Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, spending weekends working in local party stores and putting his special touch on family events, he discovered early on his love of balloon décor and cultivating joyful environments that bring people together.

It was Fisk University that embraced that talent and turned this love of community to a business – one that is 11 years running and a staple in the Nashville community – the highly successful, LaMarvelous Balloons.

A Business Administration and Management major, Lamar noticed a gap in the market for party balloon décor in the city, Lamar acted quickly. His first event was décor for the Alpha Phi Alpha Miss Black and Gold Pageant – an event that ignited a wave of campus interest. Soon, Fisk admissions, various student organizations, and campus events were eager for Lamar’s signature creativity to transform their celebrations.

“Fisk embraced me. Fisk embraced my company and my artistry. As a young artist, you often question what you’re doing. But the encouragement from Fisk – my peers, faculty, and alum – pushed me to keep going, and here we are 11 years later.”

During his time at Fisk, he served all four years in SGA—ultimately becoming SGA President—as well as a student trustee. He also joined Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated.

These invaluable opportunities for leadership gave Lamar the chance to hone his skills further than décor.

“Being in those environments, learning the corporate rigor and getting a deeper understanding of how decisions are made on an organizational level, helped propel me into a distinct leader that has this grit that a lot of people don’t understand. That passion and the will to push forward when things get difficult – I really learned a lot of that here at Fisk,” he says.

This idea that was birthed in a Fisk dorm grew from campus events to citywide opportunities. After his graduation in 2017, Lamar elevated even higher. He stayed rooted in the city that shaped him and continued to expand. Today, Lamar’s business serves local staples like the Nashville BNA Airport, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Bridgestone, and his beloved, Fisk University.

For Lamar, his work is an extension of Fisk’s mission.

“When I was a student here at Fisk, I felt like I was cultivated into being a servant leader – someone who provides service and wants to help and lead people,” he says. “Fisk instilled that in me.”

Embodying the essence of Fisk’s legacy, Lamar now pours that same love he received back into the community that shaped him.

“In the same way Fisk embraced me, it is important to share that embrace with the Fisk community and the city of Nashville.”

For the love of Fisk, we invest in students like Lamar—students whose dreams are shaped on our campus and whose impact extends far beyond our gates.