During the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Because my friend was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the Big Apple, we had planned a fortnight visit there on the way to London.
We arrived at the student accommodation, a large ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and began chatting with other diners.
Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I did for a living, and I told him that I had just graduated with a degree in science and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.
He pointed out that there was an research lab at the university – right next door to the engineering department, which was why he was aware of it. He proposed that I consider applying for a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was heading off to Europe and, more critically, I lacked a US visa.
The following day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had organized a discussion for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away told my interviewer that I was without a work permit, so I was probably wasting her time.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where anything feels possible – she responded: “We can make that happen. When can you start?” I never got on that flight to London.
I was employed there for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an elite institution and ask for a job. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.
Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university paved the way for a job in Zurich where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have a family of four kids. It was a total sliding doors moment. That benevolent individual changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.
Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Shown for You?
Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we would love to know chance encounters that have left a lasting impression.
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