UNC Global Hosts Naturalization Ceremony for US Citizenship
March 20, 2017
UNC Global Affairs
On March 24, 2017, UNC Global, in conjunction with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will host a naturalization ceremony recognizing nearly 60 of North Carolina’s new candidates for U.S. citizenship. The candidates have come from more than 24 countries including Benin, Malaysia and Canada, to name a few. The ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Nelson Mandela auditorium at the FedEx Global Education Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ron Strauss, UNC’s chief international officer and executive vice provost, will provide introductory and keynote remarks.
“We are honored to host our third naturalization ceremony at UNC,” said Strauss. “I grew up in a family of immigrants, and it means so much to me to be a part of this special day with the new citizens and their families.”
Strauss’ remarks will be followed by a performance of the national anthem by Cadence, one of UNC’s all-female a cappella groups.
Additionally, the ceremony will feature two UNC community members who are naturalized citizens. Thupten Norbu, interim director of the Carolina Asia Center, and Manuela Nivia ’17, a graduating UNC senior, will reflect on their respective paths to citizenship.
Lisa Wohlrab, supervisory immigration services officer from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Raleigh-Durham Field Office, will administer the oath of allegiance and present the candidates their certificates of naturalization. Elizabeth Barnum, director of International Student and Scholar Services at UNC, and Ron Strauss will assist Wohlrab.
This event is free and open to the public to observe. Public parking is not available at the FedEx Global Education Center. Please visit UNC Transportation and Parking’s website for information on visitor parking.
UNC Global invites members of the UNC community to join the candidates, their families and friends in celebrating their newly obtained United States citizenship.
Please note: Candidates have been pre-selected for this ceremony and have already been notified that their ceremony will take place at UNC-Chapel Hill. If you have questions about your naturalization status, please contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) directly.
Event contact: Ingrid Smith, manager of global events and exhibitions, ingrid.smith@unc.edu
Media contact: Katie Bowler Young, director of global relations, UNC Global, kbowler@unc.edu, 919-962-4504