An estate gift from Michael and JoAnn Youngman will create the La Follette School’s first endowed chair. Michael Youngman received his master’s degree in public policy and administration in 1982 from UW–Madison’s Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration, the La Follette School’s predecessor.
The Youngmans created the Michael L. Youngman Chair in Public Policy to support faculty excellence at the La Follette School. The Youngmans’ gift will allow the La Follette School to attract and retain world-class faculty members in public policy and to pursue the Wisconsin Idea, said La Follette School Director Susan Webb Yackee.
“The La Follette School is immensely grateful to the Youngmans for their generous gift,” said Yackee. “Bequests are critically important to the financial stability of the La Follette School; they build a pipeline that benefits generations to come.”
A member of the La Follette School’s Board of Visitors, Michael Youngman is a retired executive officer and vice president of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Previously, Youngman was chief of staff to fellow La Follette School alumnus Tom Loftus (MA ’72) when Loftus was Speaker of the State Assembly.
Michael Youngman serves on the Wisconsin Historical Foundation’s Board of Directors, and JoAnn Youngman is a Director and Vice President of the Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation.
“We believe the work of the La Follette School and its strong emphasis on evidence-based research have never been more important,” Michael Youngman said. “I am honored to serve on the School’s Board of Visitors and to support the School’s efforts to train the next generation of public policy leaders.”