Celebrating the 2026 Zeit Society Award Winners

The student winners of the 2026 Zeit Society Awards at the Medical College of Wisconsin may be pursuing unique career paths, but they each share a deep commitment to the people at the heart of healthcare.

Comprised of MCW alumni united by a desire to give back to their alma mater, the Zeit Society supports students who embody leadership, loyalty, service, initiative, and compassion – the values demonstrated by Dr. Walter Zeit, a beloved MCW faculty member, associate dean, teacher, and mentor.

Keep reading to meet this year’s winners, who will be honored at the Next and Notable Awards Night, and discover how alumni generosity helps power student success.

Walter Zeit Leadership Award Winner: James Dowd

Like many aspiring orthopedic surgeons, James Dowd has a background in athletics and has seen firsthand the positive impact orthopedic surgeons have on their patients.

Growing up, Dowd and his sister experienced multiple knee injuries over an eight-year span. Dowd, who played lacrosse and football and ran track, became well acquainted with orthopedics throughout his high school athletic career, even shadowing his orthopedic surgeon.

Now, as a fourth-year medical student, Dowd looks forward to helping his future patients heal, regain mobility, and live healthy, active lives.

"I'm the first in my family to want to become a doctor, but we are very service-oriented. For me, this is an opportunity to give back," he says.

Service has been a defining part of Dowd's medical school experience. As a member of the inaugural MCWfusion curriculum cohort, Dowd has helped shape the program by providing ongoing feedback. He also serves as a peer mentor in a learning community focused on developing compassionate, ethical physicians.

“I have seen what it means to be an ideal physical in all aspects of the career through the mentorship that I have received during my time at MCW,” Dowd says. “I aspire to continue to find ways that I am able to provide mentorship and give back to a community that has done so much to shape who I am today.”

Matthew Hunsaker, MD, Founding Dean Award: Tyler Ehrke

Tyler Ehrke intended to become a mechanical engineer. But a medical mission trip opened his eyes to the possibilities of medicine.

Now in his fourth year at MCW-Green Bay, Ehrke is grateful for the faculty, peers, alumni, and physicians who have shared their expertise, taking their guidance to heart: “The only thing we ask is that you pay it forward and take someone under your wing.”

Ehrke, who is interested in becoming an orthopedic surgeon, is already focused on giving back. One of his favorite medical school memories is visiting a middle school to introduce sixth graders to the profession. He thinks some students may have caught the bug.

“We saw six periods of kids. There were always a few who hung back and helped clean up or asked us questions. ‘Are you going to be a doctor? How do you do that?’” he recalls. “Every great milestone or achievement always begins with a little curiosity. If you can just get them curious to look into a little bit more, that could be all they need.”

Lisa G. Dodson, MD, Founding Dean Award: Kaylynn Imsande

Born and raised in Menomonie, Wisconsin, Kaylynn Imsande is a student at MCW-Central Wisconsin who aspires to practice in a rural community like the one in which she grew up.

“It feels really special to bring care to a rural community and not require people to travel to big cities,” says Imsande, a third-year student who is passionate about women’s health and seeks to practice obstetrics and gynecology.

As a student, Imsande interviewed more than 30 women in central Wisconsin about their postpartum experiences. What she learned about their physical and mental recovery was eventually shared with state legislators as they were considering extending the duration of postpartum benefits under Medicaid from 60 days to one year. The bill passed this spring with bipartisan support and took effect in July.

"My research was one very small part of putting together these presentations for legislators and helping lobby for that. It was very cool to have that outcome," she says.

The experience illustrated the critical role practitioners can play as expert, evidence-informed advocates.

“This has opened my eyes to the different opportunities for a physician and shown me how important this work is,” Imsande says.

Louis F. Jermain, MD, Founding Dean Award: Jacob Kodra

As the first in his family to attend medical school, Jacob Kodra knew he would need guidance.

Shortly before arriving at MCW’s Milwaukee campus, Kodra sent a cold email to an orthopedic resident and MCW alumnus hoping to connect. To his surprise, the resident responded and scheduled a conversation for that evening.

“We spent a few hours on the phone, and he gave me as much advice as he could about what he thought would help me be successful,” says Kodra, now a fourth-year student. “He ended up becoming a longitudinal mentor throughout medical school. We’re still in touch.”

The interaction sparked an enduring commitment to mentorship. Through MCW’s First-Gen Med student organization, Kodra organized mentorship pairings and programming for first-generation medical students.

He expanded this work beyond MCW through the Medical Student Orthopedic Society (MSOS). As co-chair of the MSOS Mentorship Committee, Kodra now oversees a nationwide mentorship program connecting nearly 400 medical students, residents, and attending orthopedic surgeons.

“As the first generation in my family to go to medical school, I didn’t have a road map,” he says. “I saw the power that mentorship has to change someone’s trajectory. That inspired me to pay that forward by being a mentor to others.”

Marie E. Zeit Endowed Scholarship: Jacob Nelson

As an undergraduate studying neuroscience and chemistry, Jacob Nelson intended to go to medical school – until he worked in a pharmacy.

There, Nelson saw firsthand how pharmacies can help expand access to medicine and basic medical care, and he enjoyed interacting with the patients outside of a clinical setting. He also came to appreciate the pharmacist’s role as advocate for the patient, whether that’s with healthcare providers or insurers.

“I want to be someone who advocates outright so the patients get the medicine that will help them," he says. "I want to be someone who can understand and empathize with and be compassionate toward the patient.”

As a first-generation college student, Nelson is grateful to receive the Marie E. Zeit endowed scholarship to support his pharmacy school journey. He appreciates that the award comes from those who may have walked a similar path as him and vows to pay it forward.

“This is the type of alum I want to be,” Nelson says. “Even though I don’t know them personally, they’re here for the students.”