In the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my friend was exploring starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a large multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the canteen, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and began chatting with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He asked me what I did for a living, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a job with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The engineering student walked over to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Because he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately explained to 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 anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. When can you start?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I never saw that student again and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an elite institution and seek a position. And, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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