During the late 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to the European continent with a travel partner. Since my companion was considering enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a large 10-storey building on the UWS named International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the canteen, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to fellow residents.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I my profession was, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an microscopy facility at Columbia University – adjacent to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The next day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The Iraqi student approached me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I showed up for the discussion – but straight off informed my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I also received complimentary education at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I got to know 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 eternally thankful.
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