UNL grad fulfills parents' dream
Alma Deumic graduated from college Saturday, fulfilling her parents’ dream — a goal that survived genocide and war.
Alma and her family fled persecution in their native Bosnia in 1993. They were among the first Bosnian refugees to settle in Lincoln during the Bosnian war.
“My parents had to start over with nothing in the middle of their lives, at a time when most people are thinking of retirement,” Alma said. “They made it possible for us to go to college at a point where they had lost everything.”
Deumic was one of more than 2,400 University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates to receive degrees this weekend.
The degrees, conferred by Chancellor Harvey Perlman, were awarded to graduates from 44 states, 40 countries and the District of Columbia.
After Perlman closed the ceremony Saturday, Deumic’s mother, Samka, swelled with pride.
“It was always our dream that they finish. Now our dream is done. My heart is so full,” she said.
Salko, Alma’s older brother, said their father, Emsud, was imprisoned in a concentration camp for three months during the war.
“The concentration camp was for anyone who was Bosnian and not in support of the Serbs,” said Salko, who graduated from UNL in 2001.
When Emsud was released, the family chose the U.S. from options that included Germany and Sweden because of the opportunity to become citizens.
They came to Lincoln because a church offered to sponsor them. When the family arrived, none of them spoke English.
Salko went to Lincoln High School, where he learned English and eventually moved into mainstream classes.
Alma was supposed to start school in Bosnia in 1992, but the war prevented her from enrolling. She started Lincoln Public Schools as a second-grader, and she, too, began learning English. Today, she speaks English and Bosnian fluently.
Tailors by trade, Emsud and Samka resumed the business they began in Bosnia, this time from scratch.
“I went to UNL so I could help at the store,” Alma said. “We all work, and I knew I would be able to pull my weight.”
She said her father has strongly encouraged her to become an entrepreneur. She didn’t think it was for her, but she came around to the idea and majored in business marketing at UNL.
Showing a picture of his 5-month-old grandson, Kenan, Emsud said he has high expectations for him, as well.
“I’m sure he will graduate from UNL. We’ll teach him to be a tailor too,” he said.
For now, Alma has accepted a job with the Girl Scouts, promoting membership in the group she joined in fifth grade. She also plans to work as a Mary Kay cosmetics consultant, hoping to put her business experience into practice.
Eventually, Alma said, she wants to sell such Bosnian desserts as a multi-layered cake called “torta.”
She credits her parents’ tenacity for inculcating her with the skills she needs to succeed after college.
“They had to start all over; they opened a successful store. It speaks highly of them,” she said.
Emsud and Samka beamed as they watched their daughter greet well-wishers in the corridor outside the arena.
“I am so happy,” Emsud said. “God bless America.”
Reach Lisa Munger at lmunger@journalstar.com.
Alma and her family fled persecution in their native Bosnia in 1993. They were among the first Bosnian refugees to settle in Lincoln during the Bosnian war.
“My parents had to start over with nothing in the middle of their lives, at a time when most people are thinking of retirement,” Alma said. “They made it possible for us to go to college at a point where they had lost everything.”
Deumic was one of more than 2,400 University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates to receive degrees this weekend.
The degrees, conferred by Chancellor Harvey Perlman, were awarded to graduates from 44 states, 40 countries and the District of Columbia.
After Perlman closed the ceremony Saturday, Deumic’s mother, Samka, swelled with pride.
“It was always our dream that they finish. Now our dream is done. My heart is so full,” she said.
Salko, Alma’s older brother, said their father, Emsud, was imprisoned in a concentration camp for three months during the war.
“The concentration camp was for anyone who was Bosnian and not in support of the Serbs,” said Salko, who graduated from UNL in 2001.
When Emsud was released, the family chose the U.S. from options that included Germany and Sweden because of the opportunity to become citizens.
They came to Lincoln because a church offered to sponsor them. When the family arrived, none of them spoke English.
Salko went to Lincoln High School, where he learned English and eventually moved into mainstream classes.
Alma was supposed to start school in Bosnia in 1992, but the war prevented her from enrolling. She started Lincoln Public Schools as a second-grader, and she, too, began learning English. Today, she speaks English and Bosnian fluently.
Tailors by trade, Emsud and Samka resumed the business they began in Bosnia, this time from scratch.
“I went to UNL so I could help at the store,” Alma said. “We all work, and I knew I would be able to pull my weight.”
She said her father has strongly encouraged her to become an entrepreneur. She didn’t think it was for her, but she came around to the idea and majored in business marketing at UNL.
Showing a picture of his 5-month-old grandson, Kenan, Emsud said he has high expectations for him, as well.
“I’m sure he will graduate from UNL. We’ll teach him to be a tailor too,” he said.
For now, Alma has accepted a job with the Girl Scouts, promoting membership in the group she joined in fifth grade. She also plans to work as a Mary Kay cosmetics consultant, hoping to put her business experience into practice.
Eventually, Alma said, she wants to sell such Bosnian desserts as a multi-layered cake called “torta.”
She credits her parents’ tenacity for inculcating her with the skills she needs to succeed after college.
“They had to start all over; they opened a successful store. It speaks highly of them,” she said.
Emsud and Samka beamed as they watched their daughter greet well-wishers in the corridor outside the arena.
“I am so happy,” Emsud said. “God bless America.”
Reach Lisa Munger at lmunger@journalstar.com.
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