In the final years of the 1980s, I set out on a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Because my friend 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 got to the graduate housing, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and engaged in conversation with other diners.
Sitting next to me was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did, and I told him that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The engineering student walked over to me and informed 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 straight off explained to my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
As is common in NYC – a place where anything feels possible – she responded: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I seized the chance to complete a postgrad program in international relations.
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 didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college 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 free tuition.
Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York paved the way for a role in Europe where I got to know my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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