NATURALIZATION CEREMONY
OCTOBER 18, 2019
On October 18, 2019, a Naturalization Ceremony will be held in Centennial Hall at
Augustana College beginning at 11:00 a.m. Naturalization ceremonies are the final step of the
process for a foreign citizen or national to become a U.S. citizen. During the ceremony, 166
immigrants from 32 countries will be taking the Oath of Allegiance and sworn in as new U.S.
citizens. The Honorable Sara L. Darrow, Chief United States District Judge, will preside over
the ceremony. Chief Judge Darrow notes that conducting naturalization ceremonies is one of the
greatest privileges she has as a federal judge and is excited to hold this joyous ceremony on
Augustana’s beautiful campus.
Dr. Xiaowen Zhang, Associate Professor of Political Science at Augustana College, will
deliver remarks honoring the new citizens. Dr. Zhang intends to offer personal reflections on the
process of becoming a U.S. citizen, having been naturalized herself in the past year. A member
of the political science faculty at Augustana College since 2008, Dr. Zhang is a graduate of
Peking University in Beijing, and earned her Ph.D. at the University of Southern California's
School of International Relations. The Naturalization Ceremony is open to the public.
Centennial Hall is located at 3703 7th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois.
For additional information, please contact Clerk of Court, Shig Yasunaga, at (217) 373-
5830.