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Walter Zeit Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin

Walter Zeit 14

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 Fellows are listed in MCW’s online Annual Report and Honor Roll and are recognized at a formal recognition dinner each year in autumn. During this dinner they present the Walter Zeit Leadership Award to the outstanding student recipient, as well as celebrate the recipients of the three Walter Zeit Founding Dean awards. You can 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 2023-2024

Nina Punyamurthy

Nina Punyamurthy
Walter Zeit Leadership Award

Jonathan Bressler

Jonathan Bressler
MCW-Central Wisconsin Lisa G. Dodson, MD Founding Dean Award

Hannah Mueller

Hannah Mueller
Boysen MCW-Green Bay Matthew Hunsaker, MD Founding Dean Award

Leah Gerlach

Leah Gerlach
MCW-Milwaukee Louis F. Jermain, MD Founding Dean Award

Honoring Our Walter Zeit Fellowship Award Recipients

This year’s award recipients truly embody the exemplary dedication and service that was not only exhibited by Walter Zeit, PhD ‘39, but also shared by each Walter Zeit Fellow.

Awards Presented by the Walter Zeit Fellowship

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Walter Zeit Leadership Award

This award is presented to a senior student who has consistently displayed superior qualities of leadership, loyalty, selfless service, initiative, and compassion toward his or her peers and to MCW. These criteria are exemplified by members of the Walter Zeit Fellowship, MCW’s premier donor recognition society. Begun in 1980 by the late Derward Lepley, MD ‘49, the Fellowship has grown to more than 1,300 members. The Fellowship is named in honor of the late Walter Zeit, PhD ‘39, an anatomy professor who became a part of MCW’s heritage during his 50-year teaching career.

This group promotes and acknowledges substantial individual philanthropy. Support by the Walter Zeit Fellows underpins MCW’s four-fold mission of education, research, patient care and community engagement. The Walter Zeit Leadership Award is possible thanks to contributions from the Walter Zeit Fellows.

Matthew Hunsaker, MD Founding Dean Award

This award is presented annually by the Walter Zeit Fellowship to a graduating student at MCW-Green Bay to recognize their dedication and service to MCW and the community. The award is named after MCW-Green Bay’s founding dean, and is made possible thanks to contributions from the Walter Zeit Fellowship, MCW’s premier donor recognition society.

 
Lisa G. Dodson, MD Founding Dean Award

This award is presented annually by the Walter Zeit Fellowship to a graduating student at MCW-Central Wisconsin to recognize their dedication and service to MCW and the community. The award is named after MCW-Central Wisconsin’s founding dean, and is made possible thanks to contributions from the Walter Zeit Fellowship, MCW’s premier donor recognition society.

 
Louis F. Jermain, MD Founding Dean Award

This award is presented annually by the Walter Zeit Fellowship to a graduating student at MCW-Milwaukee to recognize their dedication and service to MCW and the community. The award is named after the medical school’s founding dean, and is made possible thanks to contributions from the Walter Zeit Fellowship, MCW’s premier donor recognition society.

Contact Us

Learn more about giving and the Walter Zeit Fellowship

Elsa Knysak

Director of Development

(414) 955-4516