In the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to Europe with a companion. Because my travel mate was exploring pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a large ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side named International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been conducting research with electron microscopy.
He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – close to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I consider applying for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that evening. The engineering student walked over to me and told me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had made the arrangement, I went to the meeting – but right away explained to my host that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. 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 used the opportunity to complete a graduate degree in global studies.
I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
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