Walter Zeit Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin
Since its inception in 1980, the Walter Zeit Fellowship has contributed significantly to MCW’s Annual Fund for Excellence as well as specific MCW programs. Members of the Walter Zeit Fellowship display leadership, loyalty, service, initiative and compassion for their community. These characteristics represent Dr. Zeit’s many contributions to MCW.
All Walter Zeit members are listed on MCW’s online Honor Roll and are recognized at an annual reception each year in autumn. At this reception, the Walter Zeit Leadership Award is presented to the outstanding student recipient, and three Founding Dean awards are presented to student recipients. Read more about each award below.
Membership in the Walter Zeit Fellowship is attainable through a minimum commitment of $25,000, payable over a maximum of five years ($5,000 per year). A Zeit contribution may be designated to the Annual Fund for Excellence, MCW’s only source of unrestricted funds, or any purpose you choose.
Zeit Leadership Award and Founding Dean Award Recipients 2025-2026
Theodore 'Theo' Yang | MCW-Central Wisconsin
Walter Zeit Leadership Award
Theo Yang is a fourth-year medical student at MCW Central Wisconsin and a first-generation American from a Hmong refugee family. Known for his humility, adaptability, and exceptional clinical performance, Theo has earned high praise from preceptors and peers alike. He actively supports disadvantaged students through the Advocates of Medicine Pathway and has led multiple research projects resulting in publications and presentations. His volunteer work spans refugee support, special needs coaching, and community health outreach. As a student leader and mentor, Theo embodies resilience, service, and a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion in medicine.
Hannah Olson | MCW-Green Bay
Matthew Hunsaker, MD Founding Dean Award
Hannah Olson is a medical student at the MCW Green Bay whose leadership and service are deeply rooted in her upbringing in Fairbanks, Alaska. Passionate about expanding access to healthcare, she has led initiatives at the Free Psychiatric Care Clinic and helped develop the Pediatric Trauma Quality of Life Clinic, both serving underserved populations. Her commitment to community care is reflected in her extensive research, mentorship, and volunteer work, including STEM outreach and wilderness medicine training. Hannah’s dedication to humanism, equity, and consistent service exemplifies her vision of compassionate leadership in medicine.
Dylan Pierce | MCW-Central Wisconsin
Lisa G. Dodson, MD Founding Dean Award
Dylan Pierce is a fourth-year medical student at MCW Central Wisconsin, known for his warm demeanor, strong communication skills, and dedication to service. While balancing medical school with work on his family’s farm, Dylan has excelled both academically and clinically, earning praise from faculty and preceptors for his curiosity, professionalism, and teamwork. His Physician in the Community Project explored healthcare barriers in rural Wisconsin, leading to a grant-funded initiative that identified underserved individuals with diabetes. Dylan has also contributed to research in transfusion medicine and surgery, resulting in multiple presentations and a publication. His volunteer work includes mentoring youth, supporting formerly incarcerated individuals, and serving in local food pantries. As a student leader, he has represented MCW on curriculum committees and the Kern Institute’s innovation team. Dylan exemplifies the values of compassion, rural health advocacy, and community engagement.
Adam Plotkin | MCW-Milwaukee
Louis F. Jermain, MD Founding Dean Award
Adam Plotkin, a rising M4 and 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, is a standout leader at MCW Milwaukee. With a background in biomedical research and military service, Adam has created multiple free educational platforms including 'Plotkin vs. The Boards' and 'Project PlotBot' to support equitable medical education. He has mentored hundreds of students and led curriculum development for veteran care. His leadership philosophy, shaped by personal mentors and military values, emphasizes discipline, compassion, and service. Adam’s contributions to student life, tutoring, and institutional innovation reflect his unwavering commitment to empowering future physicians.
Awards Presented by the Walter Zeit Fellowship
Past Walter Zeit Leadership Award Recipients
Robert J. Tait ’89
Aldo Trovato ’90
Claudia M. Keidl Hoyen ’91
John E. Connolly, Jr. ’92
Nancy M. Grant ’93
Eric M. Siegal ’94
Robert R. Leschke ’95
Lina M. AbuJamra ’96
Timothy A. Crummy ’97
Nancy E. Havas ’99
Nikki J. Booms Allen ’00
Jeffrey A. Huebner ’01
Linda L. Sewell ’02
Travis N. Murray ’03
Susan L. Goldsmith ’04
Kara G. Miller Gill ’05
Michael R. Clark ’06
Sachin S. Pawar ’07
Ana N. Cabán Cardona ’09
Alexis A. Vosooney ’10
Nicholas A. Kuehnel ’11
Elica Inagaki ’12
Emily J. Sweet ’13
Laura E. Tisch ’14
Lara Renee India Rosewicz ’15
Julia N. Keyes ’16
Phoebe Jensen ’17
Emily A. Navarrete ’19
Mario Castellanos ‘20
Greta Berger ‘21
Megan Barthels ’22
Nina Punyamurthy ‘23
Mark Ehioghae '24
History of the Walter Zeit Fellowship
The late Derward Lepley, Jr., MD ‘49 formed the Walter Zeit Fellowship in 1980 to honor and permanently recognize the many contributions of Dr. Walter Zeit. Few individuals have been as closely associated with the Medical College of Wisconsin or have contributed as much to its growth as Dr. Walter Zeit.
In 1921, when Dr. Zeit first joined the Anatomy Department of what was then the Marquette University School of Medicine as a student assistant, the institution was in its infancy. It had been formed just eight years earlier through a merger of the Wisconsin College of Physicians & Surgeons and the Milwaukee Medical College. He went on to become a triple alumnus of Marquette University, receiving a BS in 1925, an MS in 1927 and a PhD in 1939.
Throughout his distinguished career as a teacher of anatomy, with faculty appointments ranging from student assistant to associate dean, Dr. Zeit instructed well over 4,500 medical students and thousands of other health care profession students. He was known for bringing a keen vitality to his teaching, raising anatomy from an academic discipline to a fresh and dynamic educational experience. He is best remembered by his students for the personal attention and understanding he shared with them. Dr. Zeit witnessed a half-century of phenomenal growth at MCW and he was also an integral part of that growth.
He was a gifted research scientist whose published work involved studies of nerve endings, and the structure and function of the junction between nerve fibers and muscle bodies. His affiliation with the Medical College of Wisconsin ultimately spanned six decades, three buildings and five deans.
“It gratifies me to know that the school is in good hands and its future as a quality academic school is assured.” Walter Zeit, PhD
Contact Us
Learn more about giving and the Walter Zeit Fellowship
Tony Perez
Executive Director