In the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a friend. Because my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we went directly to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I told him that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I consider applying for a role with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but immediately explained to my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she declared: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I worked there for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a postgrad program in international relations.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the courage or self-belief to reach out at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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