by Rachel Williams
Dr. Beheruz Sethna, president emeritus and current professor at UWG, was the special guest speaker at the naturalization ceremony in Atlanta on Friday, October 11, 2013. The ceremony, which was held in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the Richard B. Russell Federal Courthouse, was one of the 11 conducted annually by the United States District Court and Citizenship and Immigration Services. Approximately 160 prospective U.S. citizens were sworn in during the ceremony.
A naturalization ceremony would be emotional for any new citizen. For UWG alumna Rachael Lugube, however, the choice in speakers was especially meaningful. Dr. Sethna explains, “Over the years, I have had the pleasure of addressing many groups of students, faculty, staff, national meetings of higher education and corporate associations and even presidents of other universities and Regents, but to be able to welcome new citizens was a first for me, and was a high honor indeed. Particularly gratifying was the meeting with UWG alumna Ms. Lugube, who said, ‘It was a pleasure to see you again, to shake your hand two times on my two most memorable days of my life: my graduation in December 2012 and my citizenship.’"
“I had no idea that one of the new citizens was a UWG graduate,” says Lucy Moses, the jury and naturalization administrator who invited Dr. Sethna to speak. “I like to choose speakers who have been naturalized themselves and yet have done something significant in their community or have made something of themselves. Dr. Sethna was a good example of that. I have been in my position for over 16 years and have been to many Naturalization ceremonies and have heard many speakers. Dr. Sethna was one of the better speakers that we have had and I do hope he will consider speaking at a ceremony in the future.”
