14 new U.S. citizens take naturalization oath

By KALEA HALL

khall@vindy

YOUNGSTOWN

Light shined through the stained-glass windows inside a courtroom at the Mahoning County Courthouse as 14 new U.S. citizens collectively raised their right hands and recited the naturalization oath to embrace a life of liberty.

“The title ‘citizen’ is now yours,” said Judge Beth A. Smith of Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court. “You are an American. Your voice can be heard and counted.”

Judge Smith encouraged them to embrace the freedom and democracy in the country, and to be an active participant.

Many, such as Ahmad Omishat, 26, are active.

The 2015 Youngstown State University graduate decided to stay local and work at VEC Inc. – a solutions provider for construction services – of Girard as an electrical engineer.

“It’s a good company,” Omishat said. “They do business the right way. They have values I share with them.”

While he works, Omishat is back at YSU for his master’s degree.

“Just like America helped me, I want to help it,” he said.

Omishat decided to come to the U.S. to study electrical engineering after he graduated from high school in Jordan. Receiving a degree from an American university is very valuable, he said.

Growing up, Omishat was always into electronics and computers. He picked YSU because of the reasonable cost to attend – and his uncle is a professor there.

“It was definitely a big change,” Omishat said of the move from Jordan to Youngstown. “It wasn’t as hard as I expected.”

His mother didn’t think he would make it more than a month in the U.S.

About eight years later, Omishat is now a U.S. citizen.

Technology helped him to adapt to the change. He still talks to his mom every day.

“My family is very happy,” he said.

His work family at VEC, where he has been for about a year, also is happy. After he received his official citizenship certificate Thursday, his co-workers threw him a party in celebration.

“Our culture here at VEC is one of diversity and one of openness and celebrating every team member’s accomplishments,” said Becky Bertuzzi, marketing manager for the company. “We welcomed him with open arms, and we want to support him in every way we can.”

His co-workers, a close friend and, in spirit, his family, were there to support him.

“I just wish the best for him,” said Mehmet Kusuni, Omishat’s friend of almost seven years.

Kusuni, an immigrant from Turkey who moved to America about 16 years ago, met Omishat at a local mosque. He attended the ceremony to “see his happiness and be with him.”

Kusuni received his citizenship five years ago.

“It’s a blessing to be in this country,” he said.

The ceremony to become a part of it appeared to make each new citizen feel special.

Each name and country were said aloud. Each new citizen accepted a certificate, and a small flag from the Daughters of the American Revolution organization. Collectively, the group said the pledge of allegiance.

“The decision to leave one country and come to a new one is one of the biggest life changes,” Judge Smith said at Thursday’s ceremony. “You have tremendous courage.”

Each citizen was asked to tell the story of becoming a U.S. citizen.

“The stories come together and unite us as Americans,” Judge Smith said.

The 14 new citizens came to the U.S. from 10 countries: Romania, Turkey, Panama, Jordan, Lebanon, China, Hungary, India, the Philippines and Czechoslovakia.

“This country was built on immigrants,” Omishat said. “If somebody thinks they can take this right away, it is going to take the value away from this country.”