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Immigrants take Oath of Allegiance at Tuesday’s naturalization ceremony in Klarman Hall.
Photos by Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
Campus & Community
147 sworn in as U.S. citizens at Harvard Business School
Dean commends ‘determination, commitment, and courage’ of honorees hailing from 40-plus countries
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts welcomed 147 new citizens during a naturalization ceremony Tuesday at Harvard Business School.
USCIS Boston District Director Denis C. Riordan presented the candidates to the court, District Judge Denise J. Casper, J.D. ’94, presided, and the clerk of the court, Samantha Stoutenburg, administered the Oath of Allegiance.
This is the second time Harvard University has hosted a naturalization ceremony. The first was at the Kennedy School in 2019.
“This is such a meaningful ceremony with a great sense of love of country, love of one another, and of community,” Riordan said. “America is the hope of the world and people come here to have the opportunity to excel. Having a ceremony here links new citizens and immigrants to the work of the Harvard Business School — highlighting the contributions that immigrants make to the business sector.”
Dean Srikant Datar kicked things off with welcoming remarks.
“As someone who came to the United States from India to advance my education and in the years since has pursued my career and raised my family here, I understand this journey well,” Datar said. “I know the unwavering determination required, the steady commitment, and the courage. I commend you for these traits.”
The event also featured the Presentation of Colors by the Boston University, Harvard University, and MIT Naval ROTC Consortium; the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Business School’s Associate Director, Finance and Operations Walfred Arenales; and Green Beret veteran Doug Somoza, M.B.A. ’25; renditions of “America the Beautiful” by Ph.D. candidate Celia Stafford and “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Shreya Raghuraman, M.B.A. ’24; and congratulatory remarks by President Biden, via video message.
USCIS often participates in naturalization ceremonies at schools, museums, libraries, and other notable locations to celebrate the conclusion of immigrants’ journeys to citizenship and honor the commitment they’ve shown along the way.
This is the second time Harvard University has hosted a naturalization ceremony. The Kennedy School had the honor back in 2019, featuring remarks by then-University President Larry Bacow and U.S. District Court Judge Rya Zobel ’53, L.L.B. ’56.
