It was another year in which the Cooley Auditorium became the city’s hotspot for people of different ethnicities. The feeling of anticipation and anxiousness  filled the campus’ M building hallway.
Staff coordinators made it possible for everyone to feel at ease as they entered the auditorium. A married couple from Nigeria, who came to the U.S. in 2009 in order to join their two sons, were about to become naturalized citizens. Mother Melissa LeBlanc, who crossed  the Canadian/Wisconsin border in 1999, sat with great anticipation while her young daughter Maddy gave her support.
There were other stories to be told at this highlighted event. The smiling faces and the out- pouring support by family and friends was an overwhelming experience for some.
The end reward was a new celebration on the calendar for those becoming a part of something bigger, an American citizen! The ceremony made it possible for strangers of different backgrounds to share a commonality and become productive members in what most of them called “The America Dream.”