Foreign degrees of little value
in United States

By MELISSA CHADWICK
Observer-Dispatch

Zaim Dedic knows how difficult it is for educated Bosnians to move up in the work force when their foreign degrees aren’t recognized.

He’s trying to change that.

Dedic talked with Utica’s Bosnians about their frustrations. He’s researched how other states treat foreign degrees. And he’s even sent a letter to the state Department of Education detailing the plight of local Bosnians who have degrees but are unable to use them here.

The department, however, is unaware of the letter, said spokesman Johnathan Burman, adding that he’d check into whether it had been received.

"My goal here is that these diplomas get reviewed," said Dedic, an intern with Oneida County. "Maybe a committee can review their degrees and possibly grant them equivalency. If not, (the state should) give us alternatives. They could grant credits or the diploma by examination or other methods."

The state Department of Education and Department of State oversee foreign degrees and certifications. Several companies also evaluate them, but for a fee.

“Bosnians are underemployed here," said Mike Billard, the Oneida County research analyst supervising Dedic and Utica College student Sanel Sehic’s work.

"Many of them have very high level job skills, but unfortunately because of the laws and certification regulations, they can’t perform those same jobs here," said Alice Savino, executive director of the Work force Investment Board.

Nermin Keric, who came to Utica in 1995, spent three years and $80 trying to get his economics degree evaluated.

"I don’t want to throw my degree away," he said as he proudly unfolded his diploma from the University of Banja Luka.

He finally got his equivalency from the New York-based World Education Services, which evaluates foreign academic credentials.

"It (was) frustrating, because I (do) have a degree," said Keric, who works as a program coordinator at the BOCES Consortium of Continuing Education in Utica. "Everybody wants to do what they love."

While degrees are an important part of one’s identity, some Bosnians are finding new professional identities, Dedic said.

"(Bosnians) came here and found different positions that they love more than what they were doing in Bosnia," he said.

In many cases, it’s just too much of a hassle to re-earn a diploma.

"They’re determined to succeed but not necessarily to become the same profession as they were in their home country," said Paul Hagstrom, a Hamilton College economics professor. "They see how high the hurdles are here."

Hasko Selimovic is working as a banquet supervisor at the Radisson Hotel-Utica Centre and has no interest in pursing physical therapy, which he learned in Bosnia.

"It would be too hard to learn, study, work and still have time to be with my family," he said on his way to work one afternoon. "My job here, it’s not the same, but it’s good."