During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a friend. Because my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.
We reached the student accommodation, a large multi-story edifice on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.
Beside me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at Columbia University. He wanted to know what I did, and I shared that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I ought to seek a role with them. I laughed it off, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, additionally, I lacked a US visa.
A day later I ventured out, returning to the canteen that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately informed my prospective employer that I was without a work permit, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
As is common in NYC – a metropolis where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. 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 finish a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in so many ways. I would never have had the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and request employment. Additionally, I had consistently hoped to pursue education overseas, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.
Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia led me to a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
What is the Kindest Gesture a Someone You Didn't Know Has Once Performed for You?
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