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During the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my travel mate was interested in enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there on the way to London.

We got to the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we headed straight to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, sat down, and began chatting with fellow residents.

Adjacent to my seat was an individual of Iraqi origin studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I explained that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been working on studies using an electron microscope.

He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I consider applying for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.

The next day I went out exploring, returning to the canteen that evening. The man from Iraq came up to 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 informed my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.

In typical New York fashion – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.

I was employed there for a trio of years. A perk of the job was that I was granted free tuition at Columbia, and I took advantage to complete a graduate degree in global studies.

I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in multiple respects. I would never have had the confidence or nerve to contact anyone at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that tuition waiver.

Critically, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I currently share four wonderful sons and daughters. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person set me on a different course in life, and I’m eternally thankful.

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