In the closing decade of the 80s, I was embarking on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, sat down, and started talking to fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I told him that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where everything seems achievable – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. An advantage of the role was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the courage or nerve to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Ever Done for You?
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