[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 86 (Thursday, May 19, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E542-E543]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF DR. MARTIN SHICHTMAN

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 19, 2022

  Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Martin 
Shichtman on the occasion of his retirement from Eastern Michigan 
University after serving as a Professor of English Language and 
Literature for nearly four decades. As the founder and director of the 
EMU Center for Jewish Studies, his service to Eastern Michigan 
University and the greater Southeast Michigan community is worthy of 
commendation.
  A proud native of Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Shichtman is a graduate of 
Binghamton University and the University of Iowa, where he studied 
Medieval English Literature. At Eastern Michigan University, he has 
taught various subjects, including Arthurian literature and Jewish-
American Literature and Culture. When an administrator approached him 
about diversifying the university's interdisciplinary studies, he 
brought courses such as Literature, Film, and the Holocaust to the 
classroom. After the success of that course, alongside colleagues 
Jeffrey Bernstein, Pamela Landau, and Jessica Alexander, the idea for a 
Jewish Studies program was born. The Center for Jewish Studies opened 
in 2012 and has grown extensively. It offers a minor in Jewish Studies 
as well as domestic and international travel courses to New York and 
Israel. The Center also brings speakers, musicians, and other special 
events to campus, exposing the community to Jewish history and culture.
  Known to his students as ``Marty,'' Dr. Shichtman is a familiar face 
on Eastern's campus. Quick to crack a joke and offer a reference from 
his vast media vocabulary--spanning from baseball to film, Dr. 
Shichtman has shared his wit and wisdom with students in Ypsilanti and 
beyond for the past four decades. During his time as Director of the 
Center for Jewish Studies, he has worked to serve the working-class, 
first-generation college students at Eastern Michigan University, 
educating them on Jewish culture, and providing countless scholarships 
and opportunities for learning. Under his leadership, the Center has 
grown from an idea to an institution that hosts Jewish leaders and 
artists from around the world and has become a gathering place for 
learners across the state. He resides in Plymouth, Michigan with his 
family and remains an active leader in the Southeast Michigan Jewish 
community.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Martin 
Shichtman on this special day as the EMU Center for Jewish Studies 
celebrates ten fantastic years and we celebrate the retirement of Dr. 
Shichtman. He has touched the lives of so many students and his impact 
will be felt for years to come. I join with Dr. Shichtman's family, 
friends, and colleagues in extending my best wishes to him in 
retirement and thank him for all that he has done for the students of 
Eastern Michigan University.

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