Grace Johnston – Contributor

Photo courtesy of Sasha Kardos-Machado

When the age-old question pops up “What do you want to be when you grow up?” most kids envision being an astronaut or a rockstar, but how often do we hear of aspiring diplomats in kindergarten?! Sasha Kardos-Machado has been imagining a career in politics since she was five years old and wanted to be the Prime Minister of Canada. While her dream job may have shifted from PM to the Canadian Ambassador at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), her love of politics has never wavered. 

Now, in her fifth year at Bishop’s University, Kardos-Machado is pursuing an Honours in International Studies with a minor in Political Studies. She is also the Head Coordinator of the Charity Fashion Show, the SRC Extra Manager, President of the Politics and International Student Association (PISA), and a Senior Student Ambassador for the Recruitment and Retention Office. In Spring 2024, after receiving the B.E.S.T. Project Fund, Kardos-Machado commenced one of the greatest experiential learning opportunities of her university career: the NATO Field School and Simulation Program. 

This intensive program took place in Latvia, Italy, and Belgium from May to July. Kardos-Machado was grouped with 44 of the brightest and most keen students from across all NATO nations. She was admittedly somewhat intimidated when the program began, but quickly found her footing, and adapted to the challenging format. There was a fresh itinerary daily, and whether it was boarding an Italian navy support ship, visiting Camp Adazi: the Canadian Enhanced Forward Presence, or spending a week at NATO headquarters, Kardos-Machado was privy to some of the most prestigious educational opportunities. In addition to in-field visits, two simulations were held to truly accelerate students’ development, these included: the Negotiation, Mediation and Decision-Making Exercise (NMDX) at the NATO Defence College in Rome, and the NATO Summit Exercise (NSX) at NATO HQ, in Brussels. Two fully immersive week-long simulations, training students in NATO’s crisis management process and summit proceedings. At NMDX, Kardos-Machado assumed the role of Secretary General, she chaired the meetings and hosted a press conference. At NSX, she represented the United States of America as the Ambassador. One of the most memorable highlights of the program was Kardos-Machado’s opportunity to attend the 75th NATO Summit in Washington, DC. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a student, but will likely not be Kardos-Machado’s last NATO Summit.  

During the program, Kardos-Machado also began managing in-field social media and was offered a position as the Communication and Outreach Coordinator for the NATO Field School when the program ended. She plans to continue this role through her final year and after graduation in Brussels and The Hague with the NATO Field School. She will then pursue a Masters degree in security and defense at the Brussels School of Governance, and in keeping with her lifelong dreams, hopes to secure a career at NATO HQ in the Public Diplomacy Division. 

Kardos-Machado’s experience at the NATO Field School and Simulation Program, which grew her knowledge of NATO exponentially and confirmed her desire to work in security and defense, would not have been possible without the Bishop’s University B.E.S.T Project Fund. She will look back on the NATO Field School and Simulation Program as one of the most outstanding experiences of her undergraduate degree.

Photo courtesy of Sasha Kardos-Machado