Article published November 20, 2009
New citizens get OSU-UM rivalry tips
Citizens told: red best but feel free to go blue
From left, Denis Areas, Edjrosse Edgar Bagan, Nassif Chamoun, Prashant Parshuram Chinchankar, and Rajeshree Prashant Chinchankar follow an Ohio State cheer at Owens Community College.
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THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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By JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Voting and jury duty are one thing. Watching the Ohio State-Michigan game tomorrow just may be a more immediate responsibility for Toledo's newest U.S. citizens.
"Americans are cr=azy about college football and now that you are new Americans, you should be crazy about college football too," Toledo attorney Timothy Nackowicz told 47 men and women about to be were sworn in as U.S. citizens yesterday in a ceremony at Owens Community College.
Mr. Nackowicz, whose father immigrated from Poland and was naturalized 30 years ago, exchanged his suit jacket for an Ohio State jersey while suggesting that the citizens-to-be root for the Buckeyes in tomorrow's rival matchup with the University of Michigan Wolverines.
"You're in Ohio so you should be an Ohio State Buckeyes fan," Mr. Nackowicz said before advising them to wear "something red" this weekend and avoid anything in yellow or blue.
He led the crowd in the O-H, I-O chant before discovering at least one Michigan fan in the group.
"It's unfortunate, but in America, all views are welcome," he said.
C• Timothy Nackowicz leads the O-H, I-O chant at the naturalization ceremony. When at least one new citizen pledged loyalty to Michigan, he said in America, all views are welcome.
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THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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While the group seemed to enjoy the tongue-in-cheek pep talk, they heard a more serious message from U.S. District Court Judge David A. Katz, who called Mr. Nackowicz's address "the single most original welcome" he'd ever heard in his 15 years of conducting naturalization ceremonies.
"I encourage you to take full advan-tage of the rights you will now enjoy as citizens, but also to remember well your obligations as citizens to vote, to serve on juries, to become active in your communities and schools," Judge Katz said.
The judge talked about the state of affairs in the world today - both political and economic - that challenge the freedom Americans enjoy.
"I urge you, I plead with you, each in your own way, to reach out to others and to seek the mutuality of respect we so desire and need to preserve the liberty we so value in this society," he said.
Hastings Gokor seemed up to the challenge. He said he left his native Liberia eight years ago.
"I was a journalist back home and I was persecuted," he said, adding that he is now enrolled at Owens, studying to become a registered nurse. Thanks to his wife and her family's affinity for Ohio State football, he's already a Buckeyes fan, he added.
A native of the Philippines, Cristy Rowold of Findlay said she was happy to become a U.S. citizen "because I want to vote."
Ms. Rowold said she planned to watch the big game tomorrow.
"I watch football with my children," she said. "They love it."
The ceremony was held at Owens as part of activities planned for International Education Week. Owens has more than 135 international students from 39 countries.
The countries of origin and the new citizens' names are:
Afghanistan - Sadaf Sediqe and Yasmine Sediqe
Bulgaria - Stancho Minchev Stanchev and Yana Neycheva Stanchev
Canada - Rajiv Kumar Huria and Robert Tanner Sterling Milne
Costa Rica - Claribel Timmins
Dominican Republic - Annette Abreu
Egypt - Adly Guindi Shenouda
India - Prashant Parshuram Chinchankar, Rajeshree Prashant Chinchankar, Usha Gupta, Hafsa Yousuf Kanjwal, Poonam Bhupesh Saini, and Rubina Hassan Shah
Korea - Kue-Yun Zielinski
Lebanon - Nassif Chamoun, Bassem Ahmad Fakih, and Adib Mohammad Smidi
Liberia - Hastings Gonlakpor Gokor and Whorway Handfull Williams-Johnson.
Malaysia - Mee-Len Wong Koh and Tek Giap Ooi
Mexico - Margarito Alonso, Raul Sandoval Hernandez, Mario Marmolejo, Antonio Ramirez Ornelas, Mirna Delia Sanchez, and Ana Maria Banales Vazquez
Nicaragua - Denis Areas
Nigeria - Ahmed Oyesola Giwa and Bayo Stephen Oshunlalu
Pakistan - Saadia Khan
People's Republic of China - Mandy Shum
Philippines - Arlen Flores Herman and Cristy Jardeniano Rowold
Russia - Elena Vasilyevna Saylor
Somalia - Hanna Hussein Saed
Syria - Evana Abbse Eissa
Thailand - Montri Makpleek
Togo - Edjrosse Edgar Bagan
Tunisia - Lilia Jmiai
Ukraine - Kateryna Sergiyevna Derkachuk
United Kingdom - Malcolm Edge, Paul Barry Hughes, and Adrian Dominic Price
Vietnam - Christy Giang Pham
Contact Jennifer Feehan at:
jfeehan@theblade.com
or 419-724-6129.
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