In the late 1980s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Because my friend was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there before heading to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an microscopy facility at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I ought to seek a position with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The man from Iraq walked over to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
In typical New York fashion – a place where opportunities abound – she responded: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to contact anyone at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a job in Zurich where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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