Issy Lyons Challenges Columbia University Media Narrative on Campus

Dual-Degree Student Challenges Media Narrative Around Columbia University

In a first-person essay, Issy Lyons, a senior in the dual-degree program between Columbia University and Tel Aviv University, argues that the campus climate for Jewish and Israeli students differs from the media’s depiction.

Lyons arrived in New York in August 2025 to begin her final two years at Columbia after completing a round of military reserves in the Israel Defense Forces. Expecting an environment where she would need to defend her background, she instead had an encounter during her first week on campus that shifted her perspective. Approached by a group of American veterans, she and a friend were told they were considered true heroes and welcomed into the community.

Weighing Global Partnerships Against Campus Referendums

The essay addresses the opening of the Columbia Global Center in Tel Aviv, a hub designed to foster academic partnerships in climate change, technology, entrepreneurship, science, and medicine. Lyons notes that while the center has drawn restrained annoyance and referendum votes centered around Israel, it exists as one of 10 other global centers, with other centers existing in Turkey, Brazil, China, and Jordan.

Furthermore, Lyons points out that Columbia maintains dual-degree programs with institutions in France, Dublin, or Hong Kong. Among these international partnerships, only the Tel Aviv program and the Israel-focused initiatives have faced intense scrutiny and student criticism.

While calls to divest from Israel and the presence of pro-Palestinian demonstrations attract attention, Lyons writes that they do not play a significant role in the life of the average Jewish student. Between the School of General Studies—which houses all dual-degree programs—veterans, and a strong Jewish community, the supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement remain a loud minority whose calls have no weight.

Acknowledging Rhetoric While Emphasizing Resilience

Lyons acknowledges that antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric are present on campus, noting that she has personally been called names. However, she contends that yielding to fear empowers hostile rhetoric, suggesting that the most effective response for Jewish students in the Diaspora is to maintain their pride.

Beyond her academic work, Lyons serves as vice president of Students Supporting Israel, director of communications for the Military Veterans Society, and is a published poet and author who previously served as a combat soldier in an IDF field intelligence unit.