It was a special day at Wrigley Field on Thursday, but not for baseball.

Nearly 1,000 people were sworn in as new U.S. citizens at a special naturalization ceremony at the ballpark.

Joelle Nizigiyimana had been waiting to be naturalized for six years. She works for a cardboard manufacturing company in Aurora.

Nizigiyimana is from Republic of the Congo, which has experienced years of war. Since coming to America, she has been supporting her relatives back home.

"I want to help my family, because I have a big family over there," Nizigiyimana said.

For Winnie Akello, naturalization was five years in the making.

"I am so excited about it. I am so excited that I am now an American citizen," said Akello. "Trust me, I don't even know how to express it right now. But it feels so beautiful, so exciting. It was worth the wait."

Akello came to the United States as a refugee from her native Uganda. Now, she is a case manager for a refugee resettlement agency — helping those who were once in the position she faced.

"I feel like I have passion for helping people, helping the community," she said.

Akello spoke to CBS News Chicago while holding her 2-month-old son, Ira. She said her certificate of naturalization is more than a piece of paper — it is the opportunity for a new beginning for her entire family, especially baby Ira.

"I would actually wish for him to become a politician, and you know, be able to, you know, support the country," said Akello.

A total of 977 people from 109 countries were sworn in as U.S. citizens at Wrigley Field on Thursday, and they will now call America home.

Jairo Muñoz came to America 10 years ago, when he was just 16.

"I came from Guerrero, Mexico.," said Muñoz.

Today, Muñoz is a production supervisor for a food manufacturing company in St. Charles. In his future are plans to buy a home and earn a degree in computer programming.

"Thank you to this great country," Muñoz said.