During the final years of the 1980s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Since my friend was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had booked a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the Upper West Side called International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, took a seat, and started talking to people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been performing experiments using an electron microscope.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the university – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
The following day I ventured out, going back to the cafeteria that night. The man from Iraq approached me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she said: “That can be arranged. When can you start?” I missed my plane to London.
I held that position for three years. An advantage of the role was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I lacked the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an elite institution and ask for a job. And, I had always wanted to pursue education overseas, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.
What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?
From making your day to transforming your future, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
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