Bob Stanzione ’69 is paying generosity forward
A trailblazer is defined as an innovator who leads the way through actions or ideas that make an impact, inspiring others to follow. Bob and Kaye Stanzione HA ’23 are leading the way at Clemson through impactful Universitywide philanthropy.
As a first-year Clemson student, family tragedy and an unexpected act of generosity from a family friend changed the direction of Bob’s life. After his father’s sudden passing, Bob considered leaving college to help support his mother and younger siblings. The family friend, Joe Pazden, encouraged him to continue his education. He advised Bob to return to Clemson, finish that semester and report back once it was completed.
Ultimately, Pazdan sponsored a large portion of Bob’s college expenses, allowing him to graduate from Clemson and launch a highly successful career in engineering and management. That career has enabled Bob and his wife, Kaye, to honor that early generosity many times over.
“That is my inspiration,” Bob said. “If you name one thing that stands above all others, that’s the thing that causes me to want to help young people who want to come to Clemson and major in engineering.”
Kaye added: “The generosity of Joe and his wife, the impact that it made on our lives — we hope to do that.”
In perfect harmony: The iconic orange-and-purple Steinway Spirio high-resolution player piano, now in the Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center, was made possible in part by a gift from Bob and Kaye Stanzione.
Giving Through the Years
The Stanziones are especially passionate in their support of the College of Education’s ClemsonLIFE™ program. The family funded the Sue Stanzione Distinguished Professorship for ClemsonLIFE with a gift in honor of Bob’s mother. He had a younger brother with intellectual disabilities. Bob witnessed the financial hardships his mother faced as a young widow and how a child with disabilities intensified those struggles. The Stanziones’ support of ClemsonLIFE aims to alleviate that stress for other families.
A gift to Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences became the second Academic Cornerstone gift to the college. It included support for scholarships to CECAS students, funding for the Dean’s Excellence Fund and faculty support for the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The Stanziones helped the College of Arts and Humanities’ Department of Performing Arts reach its goal of earning the coveted “All-Steinway School” designation. Kaye’s love of music was part of the inspiration behind this gift. Confirming the impact a gift can make, since the instrument’s first appearance at Clemson in 2021, applications to the music concentration of the performing arts major have increased approximately 67 percent.
The Stanziones’ most recent support includes a new endowment for ClemsonLIFE, an annual scholarship for the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine and a gift for the Clemson Women’s Basketball program. This gift designates them as Clemson Cornerstone Trailblazers and members of the 1889 Cumulative Giving Benchmark Society.
