In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip 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 planned a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side named 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 Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I explained that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away told my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for three years. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to complete a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. Moreover, I had always wanted to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I encountered my beautiful French husband, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
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