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When Howard G. “Howie” Phanstiel ’70, G’71, H’22 was a student at Syracuse University, the state of the nation was not dissimilar to what it is today. “It was a time when the general public questioned both the capabilities and credibility of government. Were we getting straight answers about the war in Vietnam?” he recalls. “Meanwhile, New York City was under significant financial pressures and ultimately had to be bailed out by the state.”

Phanstiel saw his graduate education in public administration at the as an opportunity to improve the way government—local, state and federal—functioned. “I wanted to show people that it could work, that the trains could run on time, so to speak.” That aspiration drove his early career successes and is the underlying motivation for his continued support of Maxwell, its faculty and students. “Maxwell not only gave me the analytical skills to improve government; it gave me the confidence.” As a 22-year-old, he took a job in Wisconsin and was charged with briefing the governor on legislative issues and defending budgetary decisions. Phanstiel describes that early work in government as being “on the hot seat.”

Honoring a Dean, Endowing a Future

The latest gift from Howie and Louise Phanstiel is intended to ensure that motivated and talented students have the same opportunity to do graduate work at Maxwell and gain the skills and confidence to improve the way governments function. The Phanstiels’ $1 million gift creates the Dean David M. Van Slyke Endowed Scholarship. With an additional $500,000 match as part of The Syracuse Promise scholarship initiative, the fund will provide scholarship support for students for generations to come, and honor the contributions and impact that Dean Van Slyke has had on Maxwell.

“David lives and breathes Maxwell, traveling around the globe to raise funds,” says Phanstiel. “I don’t think there’s anybody in the world more dedicated to maintaining Maxwell’s No. 1 standing as the for public affairs. Louise and I are inspired by his level of commitment.”

“Howie and Louise have demonstrated a deep and lasting commitment to Maxwell, its students and the importance of public service over the nearly 20 years I have known them,” says Van Slyke. “Their generosity will help make a Maxwell education possible for talented students who want to serve the public good and strengthen the institutions our communities depend on. I am deeply grateful for their counsel and support and honored that they would associate my name with a scholarship devoted to those purposes. I hope their example inspires continued investment in the students who will lead and serve in the years ahead.”

“Howie Phanstiel is a rare example of someone whose vision, leadership and commitment to the public good have never dimmed,” says Chancellor J. Michael Haynie. “For decades, he and Louise have invested in Syracuse University, the Maxwell School and our students in ways that have shaped this institution profoundly. This scholarship is a testament to everything they believe in, and it will open doors for Maxwell students and future public servants for generations to come. On behalf of Syracuse University, we are deeply grateful to Howie and Louise.”

Phanstiel envisions that the Van Slyke Scholars, as they will be known, will choose to work in government, non-governmental organizations and charitable organizations, becoming the next generation of strong managers able to deliver on mission and goals in efficient and effective ways. Phanstiel himself moved on from government to leading organizations in both the public and private sectors—in healthcare, banking and finance—and always approached good management as good public service. He led the transformation of PacifiCare Health Systems from a Medicare HMO to a diversified Fortune 150 consumer health company offering affordable consumer-driven health products, including one of the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage plans.

A Lasting Pattern of Giving Back

After retiring from prolific and rewarding careers in the financial and healthcare sectors, Howie and Louise Phanstiel formed a private consulting and investing firm. They found ways to make their work most meaningful, investing in worthy causes, with Syracuse University and its students being major beneficiaries of their philanthropy.  Their historic $20 million gift creating the in 2011 has opened the doors of opportunity to more than 125 students and included community service and civic engagement in the requirements for scholarship recipients. Phanstiel Scholars gain an appreciation for what it means to pay it forward, in time and treasure.

In addition to their own financial support of Maxwell, Syracuse Athletics and other programs, Howie is a life trustee on the Board of Trustees, and Louise is currently a voting member of the board. Howie serves on the Maxwell Advisory Board, and led fundraising campaigns that have inspired thousands of people to support the University.

Phanstiel says their latest gift is an investment in human capital. “For democracies to function successfully, they need citizens who are both informed and engaged,” says Phanstiel. “Our governments need public administrators who are skilled and motivated to make a difference and produce results that benefit others. The Maxwell School produces the kind of people who will do just that. The students I meet today want to make a difference. Louise and I want to make sure the economic pressures on those students are alleviated by scholarship support, to keep them in school so they can make that difference after they graduate and go on to serve the public interest.”