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During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a low-cost journey to Europe with a travel partner. Since my travel mate was considering enrolling in graduate studies in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.

We got to the student accommodation, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we got some food, took a seat, and started talking to other diners.

Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I did, and I told him that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.

He noted that there was an research lab at Columbia University – right next door to the engineering faculty, which was how he knew about it. He recommended that I consider applying for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was heading off to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.

The following day I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that after dark. The man from Iraq approached me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was unable to accept the role.

In typical New York fashion – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We'll handle it. What's your start date?” I never got on that flight to London.

I held that position for three years. A perk of the job was that I got complimentary education at Columbia, and I took advantage to finish a master’s of international affairs.

We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.

Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university led me to a role in Europe where I met my beautiful French husband, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.

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