The University of Michigan (U-M) is well known as a prestigious research institution that employs 30,000 employees, 5,000 of whom are lawful permanent residents (LPRs). Therefore, U-M knows the power and investment that immigrant workers bring to our country, economy and academia. Because of this value, U-M has joined New American Workforce to offer free citizenship workshops for their employees and their family members. The workshops, which occur on U-M’s campuses, inform employees about the benefits of citizenship, the citizenship application process, and connect employees with immigration attorneys at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC). This partnership began in March 2016.
Originally from Canada, Rosanne Crompton has practiced as a physical therapist at U-M for the past 35 years. Before U-M began hosting citizenship workshops, Rosanne lacked the time to start the naturalization process. Fortunately, the worksite location of the workshops and a flexible work schedule enabled Rosanne to attend the very first workshops offered by U-M. Rosanne was struck by the usefulness of the workshops and was delighted by the overall experience. Rosanne felt positive about the program, saying:
“I recommend it to everyone who needs a guide because in reality I thought the citizenship process was a lot more complicated than it really was, but it was in fact very easy to apply.”
After the workshops, Rosanne mentioned that she felt better supported by U-M and is proud to now be a citizen of the United States.