In the late 1980s, I set out on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a companion. Since my companion was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We got to the student accommodation, a sizeable multi-story edifice on the UWS known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and began chatting with people eating there.
Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I did for a living, and I explained that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been conducting research involving microscopic analysis.
He noted that there was an research lab at the institution – right next door to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I didn’t have a US visa.
The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that evening. The engineering student came up 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. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but right away informed my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she declared: “We can make that happen. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a master’s of international affairs.
I lost touch with him and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in multiple respects. I lacked the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. And, I had always wanted to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.
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From brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in random meetings that have remained in your memory.
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