Pedro Cisneros was administered the oath of citizenship and sworn in as a United States citizen Wednesday Oct. 19, at the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids.
In August he “aced” his oral interview at the United States Immigration Federal Office in Detroit.  This was the culmination of several years of study, tests, interviews, paperwork and considerable expense.
“It was time and money well spent,” Cisneros said.
Cisneros is a performance analyst/coach in the Gerber Life Insurance Co. Quality Assurance Department. He began his career with Gerber as a bilingual telephone representative in July 2007 and joined the Quality Assurance Department in 2009.
His journey to become a U.S. Citizen began in South America. Cisneros was born and raised in Lima, Peru and is the youngest of five boys. His mother currently lives in the jungle regions of Lima. After graduation from high school in Peru, Cisneros became involved with a missionary group as a translator working with doctors and dentists and various missionary workers in the jungle east of Lima in the city of Pucallpa.
The missionary director shared with him the educational opportunities available in the U.S.

In 2000 he moved to New Smyrnra Beach, Fla. After completing a year of study at the English Language Institute and passing the Test of Foreign Language exam required by the State of Florida, Cisneros enrolled at Daytona Community College and received his associate’s degree in business administration in 2004. During this time Cisneros was also a member of the ABBA Folkloric, a Peruvian dance and musical group. The group traveled and performed through the Midwest. In 2004, Cisnero’s group performed at the Laketon Bethel Reformed Church near Muskegon, Mich.
After this particular performance, the minister asked Cisneros to share his story with the members of the congregation. Unknown to Pedro, a prominent investor in the area was in the audience. He recognized the potential in Cisneros and offered him a full academic scholarship to attend Baker College in Muskegon, Mich.
Cisneros graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts in marketing in 2007.  While Cisneros was a student at Baker College he met his future wife, Julie Boepple, at a church function. Boepple is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in music, was a member of the Edwardsburg High School Class of 1999 and was the Montague High School music teacher. She is currently a vocal coach at Orchard View High School and a private voice and piano teacher. She is the daughter of James Boepple and Barbara Croci of Edwardsburg.
They married in August 2007, and are the proud parents of two boys, Samson, 3, and Levi, 18 months. Julie and Pedro are both a part of a musical group playing instruments and singing. Pedro is proficient on the drums, guitar, pan flute and keyboards, while Julie plays keyboards and sings while directing the band.
Pedro is looking forward to sharing with his boys how precious U.S citizenship is; it is not something to be taken for granted.