Billy Haney helps Humanth Panta with a slice of apple pie at a party celebrating Panta becoming a U.S. citizen.
After teaching at Brenau for close to four years and residing in the country for 11, Dr. Humanth Panta is officially a citizen of the United States.
The assistant professor of finance took a citizenship oath at a naturalization ceremony on Sept. 17. His colleagues at the School of Mass Communication and Business celebrated the day afterwards by throwing him a party, complete with warm apple pie and a cake depicting Old Glory.
Panta, who grew up in Nepal, said he long dreamed of holding a Ph.D. and teaching. After earning a doctorate at the University of Texas-Arlington, he began instructing courses at Brenau in 2012.
He said he feels incredibly proud to finally call himself an American. He said the country has given him so many opportunities to pursue his goals, most of which would have been impossible to fulfill anywhere else. That’s a message he said he tries to relay to all his students.
“I came here with nothing, and I let them know they have all the resources and privilege they need to succeed,” he said from his Jacobs Building Office – which, oh-so-fittingly, has an almost picture-perfect view of the U.S. flag right outside the window.