The United States welcomed 20 new citizens into its fold at a special ceremony hosted by NASA Ames today.

Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas presided over the ceremony and administered the Oath of Allegiance to immigrants from Ireland, Kenya, India, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Indonesia and Taiwan, among others, right before the recently naturalized citizens recited the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time. The new citizens shared their desire to take advantage of the rights and opportunities citizenship in the U.S. affords.

"I want to participate in the right to vote rather than just observe," said Dermot Nolan, an Irish immigrant, who lives in San Jose and has been in this county for 12 years. "Political engagement is one of my passions."

Mayorkas and other officials from USCIS, like the San Jose field office Director Carol Keller, repeatedly pointed to these characteristics–passion, energy and vibrancy–as they described the contributions of immigrants to the nation. USCIS used as examples and also publicly recognized five naturalized citizens–Ping Fu, Christopher Che, Michael Moritz, Vivek Wadhwa and Shervin Pishevar–as "Outstanding Americans by Choice" for their significant contributions and achievements.

Cameroonian-born Che runs a multinational import export business out of Ohio and offered a piece of advice to the new citizens.

"I do know one thing," he said. "If you work hard in America with integrity and do everything with commitment to the country, you will succeed."

Fu, a Chinese immigrant who arrived with "no money, no family and no English" now leads research and development company Geomagic, helped simplify the web-browsing experience with her contribution to the development of Mosaic, the predecessor of Netscape.

"This feels kinds of surreal to receive this award," she said. "When I came to this country I believed I was no one. My journey is the embodiment of the American dream."

The emotional acceptance speech of angel investor Pishevar moved many to tears. The managing director of Menlo Ventures shared how as a child his family escaped the brutal regime of the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran and settled in Maryland. He saw how his father, who had a Masters degree, drove taxis and his mother worked as a maid to help him and his siblings have a better life.

"We are a miracle," he said. "Americans are great. America is great."

Similar to Pishevar's parents, San Jose residents Rajesh Ananth and his wife Nirmala Rajesh, both who became citizens today, wanted "the economic opportunities that this county provided its citizens" and hoped the U.S. would be the "the gateway to the world" for their children.

But to take advantage of the opportunities, these immigrants seemed to also understand that they should participate and give back.

"It's been a dream for me to start a new life," said Russian-born Vitali Tikhonow. "I wanted to become a citizen because it's my country now and if you live in a country you are responsible and need to contribute."