Michael Bushnell
Publisher

The Northeast News extends our congratulations to one of Historic Northeast’s newest American citizens, Rol Deng. The Business Development Representative for the Northeast Chamber of Commerce was sworn in as a United States citizen last Wednesday, Dec. 8. 

Deng immigrated to the United States 21 years ago from Egypt, but is originally from Aweil, South Sudan. He settled here in Historic Northeast with his family, where he worked tirelessly to send his children to college.

Now, he is working on his Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management at Northwest Missouri State University and works full-time for the Northeast Chamber and the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District. On taking the oath to become a U.S. citizen, he says he’s very proud. 

“I am very proud, I have a lot of opportunities as a United States citizen and in the community, as well,” Deng said. “So it is really a great achievement for me to be a citizen today.”

The first thing Deng will do with his new citizenship is return to his home country to visit his mother, who is 88. He plans to surprise her by sitting down and holding her hand, something he hasn’t done in over two decades.