Medical College of Wisconsin Graduate Student Association

We symbolize the entire graduate student body through elected representatives from each department and graduate student programs. Our representative committee also includes two faculty advisors, one elected and one assigned, as well as the Director of Enrollment. The main goal of the GSA is to defend the overall interests, needs, and concerns of our graduate students.

The GSA organizes and co-sponsors events that we believe would be a benefit to current graduate students. Our representative council meets monthly to share institutional committee and program updates, plan events, manage its budget that stems from student fees, and to address any emergent issues. Any graduate student at MCW is invited to attend our monthly meetings, as well as get involved with our many committees.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns for the GSA, please email gsa@mcw.edu.

Each spring, the GSA hosts a school-wide research symposium. The goal of this student-led symposium is to foster student communications between all degree programs in the MCW School of Graduate Studies. Traditionally, there are over 45 student talks, an invited keynote speaker, and recognition of Outstanding Talk and Outstanding Poster Presentation.

Registration and abstract submissions are delegated through the GSA email (gsa@mcw.edu). If you have any questions about this year’s symposium, please contact them.

Graduate Student Conference Education Fund:

• Travel Award Policy (PDF)
• Travel Award Timeline (PDF)
• Travel Award Volunteer Form (PDF)
• Travel Award Application Form (PDF)
• Submit Volunteer Service
• Submit Application

Guy Berst Award:

• Guy Berst Memorial Training Award Information (PDF)
• Guy Berst Memorial Training Award Application (PDF)
• Guy Berst Memorial Training Award Rubric (PDF)

Kayoko Ishizuka Award:

• Kayoko Ishizuka Award for Presentation at International Conferences (PDF)
• Kayoko Ishizuka Award Rubric (PDF)

Ravi Misra Award:

• Ravi Misra Training Award Application (PDF)
• Ravi Misra Training Award Rubric (PDF)

The Graduate School offers a Paper of the Season award. This award is granted to an outstanding original research manuscript. The Awards Committee of the Graduate Studies Council (GSC) reviews all of the applications submitted to determine if all criteria has been met, and then scores and votes on a winning paper. Awards are granted 4 times per year – 1 for every season.

• Paper of the Season Policy & Criteria (PDF)
• Paper of the Season Award Deadlines (PDF)

2024 Summer Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Karina Bursch
MSTP candidate, Biochemistry

2024 Spring Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Dianise Rodriguez Garcia
PhD candidate, Cell & Developmental Biology

2023 Winter Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Thomas Kelly
MSTP candidate, Pharmacology & Toxicology

2023 Fall Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Jean Bikomeye
PhD candidate, Public & Community Health

2023 Summer Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Samantha Swift
PhD candidate, Cell & Developmental Biology

2023 Spring Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Claudia Rohr
PhD candidate, Cell & Developmental Biology

2022 Winter Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Jonathon Young
PhD candidate, Cell & Developmental Biology

2022 Spring Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Reilly Allison
PhD candidate, Cell & Developmental Biology

2021 Summer Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Yao Chen
PhD candidate, Microbiology & Immunology

2021 Fall Paper of the Season Award Winner:
Melissa Whyte
PhD candidate, Microbiology & Immunology

Teacher of the Year is someone who has demonstrated exceptional teaching qualities including great connection with the students and an ability to convey and impart knowledge in a meaningful way. The Mentor of the Year is someone who has provided a learning environment throughout someone’s graduate school career that has driven students to reach their goals in a constructive and supportive way.

To nominate a teacher or mentor, email gsa@mcw.edu. Please be sure to regard the Graduate Student Handbook on the rules for nominations. Nominations are accepted in the spring.

Teacher & Mentor of the Year 2023-2024:
2024 Mentor: Julie Freed, MD, PhD
2024 Teacher: Jamie Harriman, MS, CGC

Teacher & Mentor of the Year 2022-2023:
2023 Mentor: Daisy Sahoo, PhD
2023 Teacher Erin Syverson, MGC, CGC

Teacher & Mentor of the Year 2021-2022:
2022 Mentor: Allison Ebert, PhD
2022 Teacher: Allison Ebert, PhD

2024-2025 Executive Board:

President: Joey Kreis

Vice President: Maria Poimenidou

Treasurer: Rocky Mazorow

Secretary: David Hughes

Public Relations: Nathan Witman

2024-2025 Department Representatives:

Biochemistry: Jacob Bartosiak

Biomedical Engineering: Aysan Nazari

Biophysics: Aleks Winiarz

Biostatistics: Aninda Roy

Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy: Justin Freestone

Clinical & Translational Science: Open

Global Health & Equity: Alyssa Frelka

Genetic Counseling: Reagan Stultz

Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program (IDP): Mike Donohue

Master's in Medical Physiology: Open

Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP): Ryan Bonate

Microbiology & Immunology: Lexi Kazen

Neuroscience PhD Program (NDP): Hilda Jurkiewicz

Pharmacology and Toxicology: Damaris Nieves Torres

Physiology: Minhajul Abedin Shah

Master's of Public Health: Open

Doctorate of Public Health: Open

Doctorate of Pharmacy: Hanna Bush

Public and Community Health: Jordan Janusiak

2024-2025 Faculty & Staff Advisors:
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs: Neil Hogg, PhD
GSA-Elected Faculty Advisor: Lisa Cirillo, PhD
Director of Enrollment and Student Services: Angela Backus
Education Program Coordinator II: Skylar Eisman

Looking to be an elected representative? Elections are held each March and April. Be sure to look out for a student wide email coming from the GSA for information. Check the Graduate Student Handbook for eligibility requirements.

Interested in attending monthly GSA meetings? Everyone is welcome! Meetings are usually the first Tuesday of each month from 12-1 p.m.

Join us for social events! The GSA Social Committee hosts monthly social events for all graduate students. Our social events range from professional sporting events, to casual gatherings. Check with your department representative for any upcoming social events.

For more details on how to get involved, please contact the GSA at gsa@mcw.edu

LGBTQ+ Connection Group
The Graduate School LGBTQ+ Connection Group is a student-led program dedicated to facilitating connections among members of the LGBTQ+ community in graduate school. This group is meant to offer support for LGBTQ+ graduate students by fostering a safe and welcoming environment on campus, so that students can show up as their authentic selves and perform at their full potential. We provide the opportunity to get to know each other, share LGBTQ+ resources that are available on and off campus, as well as participate in group activities, both educationally and socially.

The LGBTQ+ Connection Group is looking for a new leader to help facilitate their meetings.

Contact the Graduate School for more info!

Women in Science Connection Group
The Women in Science group welcomes anyone who identifies as female to join us one Tuesday per month over the lunch hour! Women have a specific and unique experiences in academic research, and having a community to share those experiences with helps us all.

Contact the Graduate School for more info!

International & Diversity Connection Group
The International & Diversity Connection Group is aimed at promoting an environment in which international students and underrepresented students can flourish academically and socially within the graduate programs at MCW. Another aim of this group is to help students identify factors that could contribute to all forms of culture shock, help students identify factors that could contribute to culture shock and ultimately help students overcome culture shock.

Contact Damaris Nieves Torres or Olaide Abiona for more info! 

Student Parents Connection Group
The Student/Parent connection group brings together graduate students that have the dual responsibility of graduate school and parenting at MCW. Our goal is to provide a safe space to discuss the unique challenges we face raising children while pursuing higher education. We meet monthly, during the lunch hour, and are open to not only student-parents but those serving in any parent/guardian/caretaker role.

Contact Alyssa Fernandez for more info!

Want to join a committee? Any student can get involved and serve on most committees, regardless of whether or not they are a GSA representative.

Committees:

1. Academic Standing and Welfare Committee
2. Awards Committee
3. Course Evaluation Committee
4. Curriculum & Program Committee
5. Fundraising Committee
6. Graduate Outreach Program 
7. Program Evaluation Committee
8. Research Affairs Committee 
9. Social Committee
10. Spotlight on Science Committee
11. Symposium Committee
12. Travel Award Policy

Contact us at gsa@mcw.edu if you are interested in any of the committees described above.

Art Club:
Description: Facebook group created to share artwork created by members of the MCW community.

How to Join: Request to join on Facebook

Social Media: Art Club Facebook & Art Club Instagram

Board Game Interest Group:
Description: Our mission is to provide a fun and welcoming space for students to relax and connect with fellow MCW graduate, medical, and pharmacy students while playing games. Whether you are a casual gamer or a heavy euro enthusiast, all are welcome to our monthly on-campus game nights! Basically, the name says it all for our group - we get together to play board games of all kinds (with plans to expand that to RPGs, Nintendo Switch games, etc)

How to Join: Members will be added to our email list and are welcome to attend any events as their schedule allows. Please reach out to Brandon Adkins (badkins@mcw.edu) or Ryan Bonate (rbonate@mcw.edu) if you are interested in joining our group or if you have any questions. Happy gaming!

Chess Club:
Description: Casual unofficial club that meets on Thursday lunchtimes in the MCW cafeteria for friendly games of chess.

How to Join: Email Dr. Neil Hogg (nhogg@mcw.edu) to join the email list.

Council for Women's Advocacy:
Description: The Council for Women's Advocacy (CWA) serves as an advisory committee on issues of professional development of all faculty members, including networking, mentorship, advocacy and recognition. The council consists of faculty members from both basic science and clinical departments. CWA values and promotes equity in all aspects of MCW faculty life, and strives toward this through collaborative efforts as diverse as promotion of salary equity to development of programs to provide back-up childcare.

How to Join: Email the chairs, Jen McMahon (mcmahon@mcw.edu) or Dr. Michelle Riehle (mriehle@mcw.edu)

COSS:
Description: Community Outreach by Students in Science (COSS) strives to enhance the Community Engagement mission at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). To do so, COSS aims to connect MCW students and bring science to the greater Milwaukee area through education and advocacy around careers in science. A few examples of the work that COSS members have accomplished in pursuit of these goals is volunteering at Froedtert’s Kathy’s House and demonstrating hands on science experiments at the Milwaukee Academy of Sciences (MAS), a school founded by former MCW President T. Michael Bolger. Committee members also participate in judging local area STEM fairs for young students. Through this work, we share our personal scientific journeys with school age students to demonstrate the feasibility of careers in science related fields. Each year the committee considers additional initiatives to broaden its’ impact. Consider joining us and making an impact today!

How to Join: Email Meera Krishna (mkrishna@mcw.edu) or Jade Harris (jlharris@mcw.edu) for more information or to join.

Learn More about COSS

ESCC:
Description: The Enhancing Scholarly Culture Committee (ESCC) is a group of graduate students from all programs/departments that plans and hosts science based social events. Our mission is to provide an informal environment to engage colleagues in scientific communication with a strong focus on hands-on interaction and entertainment. The committee meets once a month to plan multiple events per semester. We also have lots of leadership opportunities available to anyone on the committee! The ESCC provides an opportunity to take a break from your regular day, work with a great group of students, and have fun!

How to Join: Email Brooke Greiner (bgreiner@mcw.edu) or Missy Eilbes (meilbes@mcw.edu) to join or if you have interest in joining.

Links to Website/Socials: ESCC Instagram

MCW CEIG:
Description: CEIG is a student-led organization at MCW focused on civic awareness, voter education, and community engagement. We’ve participated in the organization fair, hosted weekly HUB tables, and collaborated with the Saturday Free Clinic for voter registration outreach in recent times. Students can expect to engage in civic action, leadership development, and discussions on social issues.

How to Join: Email Sakib Salam (msalam@mcw.edu) to join.

MCW Orchestra:
Description: The purpose of the MCW Orchestra and its MCW Jazz Band is to provide opportunities for MCW and MCW affiliated institution faculty, students, and staff to form and strengthen relationships through the creation of music for the enjoyment of the Milwaukee community while also supporting local community charities. The MCW Orchestra further endeavors to provide performance opportunities to guest soloists and to welcome camaraderie and partnerships among the greater MCW and Milwaukee area musical community.

Any MCW faculty, student, or staff member, or MCW-affiliate institution faculty or staff member or other Milwaukee community members as determined by the MCW Orchestra Steering Committee, is eligible to participate in membership in the MCW Orchestra provided there is need for that instrument in the orchestra and the musician maintains a respectful and positive attitude. Auditions will not be required except in cases of oversubscription in a section, as determined by the MCW Orchestra Conductor or the Jazz Director, and agreed upon by the Steering Committee, or if needed to determine principal chair(s). Membership dues will not be required.

How to Join: We can be contacted at orchestra@mcw.edu for any further information or questions. We also have a website which has more information as well.

Social Media: MCW Orchestra Instagram & MCW Orchestra Facebook

SHIPP:
Description: SHIPP is the student organization that supports the curriculum development, logistics and delivery of programming for MCW’s pathway programs such as StEP-UP, Ignite, and the MCW Summer Programs. We work with MCW staff and faculty to provide opportunities for middle, high school and college students in the Milwaukee are who are interested in medicine and the biomedical sciences.

How to Join: For more information, or if you would like to join, please email us at shippmcw@mcw.edu.