During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my companion was considering starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a two-week stay there en route to London.
We got to the graduate housing, a big multi-story edifice on the UWS known as International House. Once we unpacked, we headed straight to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.
Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a scientific background and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.
He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The engineering student approached me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.
I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I took advantage to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I am unaware of his identity, but his selfless gesture changed my life in numerous aspects. I lacked the confidence or self-assurance to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.
Critically, that gig at Columbia led me to a role in Europe where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I currently share four amazing children. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
From brightening your mood to changing your life, we would love to know unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.
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