Courthouse Ceremony Naturalizes 7 New US Citizens
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Harsha Akkisani came to the United States in 2014 from India to pursue his master’s degree in electrical and computer science engineering.
He graduated in 2016 from Youngstown State University, and Wednesday morning he became a U.S. citizen.
“Growing up, I always watched a lot of movies and TV shows from America,” Akkisani said. “I wanted to come to the U.S. and become a citizen here because it allows more freedom, in my opinion, than where I’m from.”
Akkisani is one of seven newcomers who became citizens in the Wednesday morning naturalization ceremony in Judge R. Scott Krichbaum’s courtroom in the Mahoning County Courthouse. Daniel Dascenzo, Mahoning County Clerk of Courts, administered the Oath of Allegiance to the newcomers who also hail from Canada, Nepal, China, Mexico, Jordan and Sudan.
“This is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and we would like to thank you for choosing to live here,” Krichbaum said. “It is truly the land of opportunity, the greatest nation in the world.”
The Mahoning County Board of Elections set up an area near the courtroom for the new citizens to register to vote.
“We’re guaranteed the right to vote, but don’t just view it as a right – it’s also an obligation,” Krichbaum told the new citizens. “You should be a part of the democracy of this country.”
Thrive Mahoning Valley held a reception at Concept Studio downtown following the ceremony.
Akkisani said being a citizen allows more flexibility in travel, employment and business opportunities.
He initially enrolled at the University of Massachusetts upon coming to the U.S., but he has a relative in Cleveland who wanted him to move closer. Akkisani applied at both YSU and Cleveland State University and enrolled at the former.
“I came and I loved YSU better than Boston because the people here are more welcoming and more involved than in Boston, as least from what I’ve experienced,” he said. “I love YSU.”
Akkisani lives in Boardman and works from home as a software developer for Ford.
Another new citizen, Abdulrahman Ibrahim, came to the United States from Sudan.
“America is the most powerful country in the world, so everyone in my country wishes to come to America,” he said. “So it’s a wish granted for me.”
He was studying in the Philippines and came to the U.S. through a lottery. He applied for the lottery in 2012 but wasn’t selected. In 2013 though, he was selected and followed a two-year process to come to this country, arriving in Texas in 2015.
His uncle brought him to Ohio. Ibrahim lives in Akron and works in construction. Becoming a citizen allows opportunity, he said.
“It means the door of the world is open for me to travel, for me to experience as an American,” Ibrahim said.
The other new citizens who were naturalized Wednesday morning are Ahmad Nayef Ihssan Alshakhshir, Anadely Juarez, Chun Ding Lu, Janice Marian Tomich-Black and Shirsha Koirala.
Pictured at top: Harsha Akkisani, originally from India, is one of seven people who became U.S. citizens Wednesday morning in the naturalization ceremony.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
