Pittsburgh resident Sam Toma has a PhD in Physics and Chemistry. He moved to the United States from Baghdad when he was 16 and has an interesting take on what it means to be American:

"I think the heart of being American is how fast you get over your ethnicity. The legal definition of an American is very simple. It's who you pledge your allegiance to. Even if it's not in writing, it's a contract.

To me, the triumph of that was Barack Obama, because we overlooked his race. The hallmark of being American is the amalgamation of all cultures. These are huge jumps that are not easily achieved in other countries."