Waleed J. Iskandar
|
(1984-1989) Waleed was accepted at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. He lived on campus during the scholastic year 1984-1985. The year after he moved out off campus. With some of his friends, they rented a house in East Palo Alto. They had many stories to tell about the short time that they lived in this house. The year after, they moved into a better area. During his first year at Stanford, Waleed got a part-time job in the registration office. He worked in the filing department. He never stopped working all his Stanford school years. During the later years, he was an instructor to the junior students in the Univesity. Waleed never stopped his sport activities. He joined the Stanford soccer team and was the goal keeper. He joined the bicycle team and biked weekly, with his mates, cross country. He was a regular tennis player and always on the tennis court. We used to drive from Northridge and spend a couple of days with him. He would invite us to restaurants and show us San Francisco.  (After a game of soccer) In the year 1988, he got his BS in Computer science. He earned a Tau Beta Pi Membership. I still remember the graduation ceremony that took place in the huge Stanford stadium. The speaker was the Governor of New York, then, Mario M. Cuomo. He gave a very eloquent speech. The sun was very hot. The graduates wore swimming suits under their gowns. The scene was so moving, when at the end the caps were flying all around and the singing was so high spreading happiness all over. After graduation, he and his friend Kara rode their bicycles from San Francisco to Los Angeles. They took the scenic route and it took them one whole week to arrive home in Northridge. In the year 1989, Waleed got his MS in Industrial Engineering. It was so heart warming to see Waleed receive his degree form the President of Stanford. One morning, I received a phone call from Waleed informing me that I will be receiving a Parcel by mail. The parcel was an Apple computer. When I asked him "Do you expect your Dad to understand computer at his age?". He laughed and answered "Yes Dad, it will be the best thing you can do after retirement".  (Graduation Day) After graduation, he accompanied some of his friends on a trip to Europe, where they stayed one whole month. During his last year at Stanford, he got an interview with "Monitor Group" of Boston, MA. He was recruited and he started work with them in their Los Angeles office. We were so happy because he had to live with us at home and commute to his work Our happiness did not last long. Two months later, he informed us that he will be renting an apartment near-by his work in Santa Monica. So, we were satisfied with his week-end visits to home. He stayed in the LA office six months. Waleed, being an adventurer, wanted to change. So, he moved to the head office of Monitor Group in Boston. (Next - The Harvard Years) |
| Home |