Program Assistant Introduction: Adrien Tardy, MIA '26

Adrien Tardy ’26 is a second-year Master of International Affairs Candidate from Geneva, Switzerland. He is concentrating on International Security Policy (ISP) and specializing in Technology, Media, and Communications (TMAC).

He graduated from McGill University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science and Communication while writing for the McGill International Review on issues of foreign policy, urbanism, and sociology.

Prior to his time at Columbia SIPA, he fulfilled his military service in Switzerland, and volunteered with the World Central Kitchen to provide food and support to refugees at the Ukrainian border. He currently serves as an analytics intern at the Snake Island Institute, a Ukrainian think tank providing front-line insights to Western policymakers and advocating continued support for the war effort.

On campus, Adrien is President of SIPA’s Columbia European Union Student Association (CEUSA).

Did you choose to attend SIPA to change careers, or to gain experience in a career path you already had experience in?

Though I had studied political science and always fostered an interest in military history, it had never occurred to me that I may one day go down the route of international security policy. In that sense, I would characterise my decision to join SIPA as a change in paths within the greater field of politics. This change was motivated by personal experiences abroad since 2022, and a realization that the pursuit of peace and stability rests first and foremost in our ability to get national and international security right.

Can you comment on the quantitative rigor in the curriculum? 

Quantitative rigor in the curriculum isn’t something to be feared, but a great opportunity to prepare you for the job market, develop critical analysis skills, and explore data-driven approaches to policy.

By design the MIA is less heavy on the quantitative side as its MPA counterpart, but you’ll be expected to complete core quantitative classes including economics and quantitative analysis. As someone who didn’t necessarily enjoy mathematics in high school, I was pleasantly surprised by the courses offered at SIPA, and ended up taking advanced quantitative courses as electives.

Can you comment specifically on some exciting things about your concentration? 

The concentration in International Security & Diplomacy (ISD) benefits from world-class faculty, and a set of courses that will prepare you directly for the sort of jobs you can expect to pursue upon graduation. One particularly exciting program is the chance of acquiring a Google Cybersecurity Certificate as part of a partnership between SIPA and Google. Students enrolled can follow the Google course during their graduate program providing an additional industry-backed formation to complete the cyber curriculum offered at SIPA.

SIPA features lots of events for students to attend.  Is there any interesting presentation that you have attended that you could comment upon?

With its focus on being a practitioner school, SIPA has understood the importance of bridging classroom work with professional development and practitioner feedback. As part of this effort, you will find that guest speakers within and outside of class are an integral part of the SIPA experience.

I have had the chance of exchanging with the likes of ex-foreign ministers, the Vice Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, career diplomats, and many others. The discussion with the Vice Chairman was particularly enriching in confirming and building upon the basis of the core International Security & Diplomacy foundation class. At a time of rapid change in the world of international security, I appreciated his reinforcement for the need to understand deterrence policy and the consequences that come with poor strategic discipline in this field.

What advice do you have for current applicants? 

Beyond academic considerations, your trajectory and personal growth during your graduate degree will also depend on the people you work with, and the environment that will shape your daily life here.

I recommend you take the chance to speak with current students by booking an online office-hour with the admissions team, and join us for a walking tour if you have the chance to be in New York City anytime soon (email us!). There is no better way to go about a ‘vibe check’ and discover the beauty of campus and the passion of our community than talking and touring with us.

I look forward to getting to know you and guiding you through your admissions process.