22 applicants from 14 countries gathered with friends, family and loved ones for the ceremony, where Brann welcomed them to a “great country,” at the U.S. Courthouse and Federal Office Building on Third Street.

“Our beliefs in liberty, equality, constitutionalism and the well being of ordinary people came out of the Revolutionary era, and so too did our idea that we Americans are a special people with a special destiny to lead the world toward liberty and democracy,” Brann said, quoting historian Gordon Wood.

“No other nation can do what we do,” he said.

Nadege Creppy of Danville is congratulated after becoming a United States citizen during a Naturalization Ceremony at the United States Middle District Court in Williamsport. Creppy immigrated from the Republic of Benin. KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“America has guaranteed freedom, security and peace for more of humanity than any other nation in all history,” Brann stressed.

Though he cautioned the crowd not to take America’s historic exceptionalism for granted.

“Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it,” he said, quoting Learned Hand, former judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

“You inherit a great legacy, as well as a great duty,” Brann told the new citizens.

At each naturalization ceremony, a Journey Speaker takes to the podium, a representative of the remarkable story that each applicant carries with them.

Andrea Tompkins of Benton speaks at the Naturalization Ceremony at the United States Middle District Court in Williamsport. Tompkins immigrated from Germany. KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The applicants are approached the morning of the ceremony and asked if they would like to deliver the speech, a daunting task to be sure, but as Andrea Tompkins stepped up to the microphone, she exuded nothing but joy.

Tompkins, who now resides in Benton, arrived in the U.S. 31 years ago at the age of 24 after marrying an American G.I. who was stationed in her home country of Germany.

Two years later, her first husband would pass away, but she would go on to find love again after going on a blind date with current husband, Ralph. The two have now been married for 27 years.

“You took half of the words that I actually had prepared out of my mouth,” she joked to Brann.

“It is an honor to become a citizen of a wonderful country that is based on the trust and the belief in God and that our founding fathers have laid such a wonderful foundation for this country,” she told the crowd, which included 18 of her closest loved ones.

“Being part of this is just a heart’s desire,” Tompkins said, calling the moment a “tearjerker.”

“We all had beautiful and maybe heartbreaking stories that got us here into this country, and I’m trying not to make my story different than yours, because everybody has really a very unique place here, and you all have wonderful purposes here in this country. I’m very honored that I’m one of you,” she said to her fellow new citizens.

“In 31 years, God has led me through a lot of ups and downs, but one thing that always was steady is that in this country, there is liberty and there’s opportunities,” Tompkins told the crowd.

“I wish everyone here well and that you are able to fulfill your purpose as new citizens, and I welcome you,” Tompkins said.

“It was touching to hear the judge talk about how the country was born and how it became and the role of the country in the world, its role in modern history and in the future, hopefully,” Behzad Nazari said.

Nazari, of State College, came to the U.S. from Iran on a student visa in 2012, a process he started in 2010.

“Three years of studentship, waiting for a visa feels like a long time,” he said.

Nazari said the right to vote was one of the driving factors behind his decision to seek citizenship

“The biggest motivation is being able to vote. Being a green card holder, you can live here, you can have property, you have all the rights, but you don’t get to vote,” he said.

And while Nazari missed the opportunity this go round, as the deadline to register for the Nov. 5 election closed just days ago, he looks forward to casting his first ballot in the future.