class Student:

    student_instance_dict            = {}

    def __init__(self, student):


        self.name = None
        self.phoneNumber = 0


students = ['Mike', 'Dany']
for student in students:
    instance = Student(student)
    Student.student_instance_dict[student] = instance


    print (Student.student_instance_dict[student].name)#this prints out without any problems

def printUpdates(x):
    print (Student.student_instance_dict[student].x)

name = 'name'
printUpdates(name)