Start Your First Year at Queen’s with the AMS First-Year Intern Program

Your first year at Queen’s is full of opportunities to figure out what interests you, meet new people, and start building experiences that can shape the rest of your time at university. If you’re looking for a way to get involved while developing practical skills along the way, the AMS First-Year Intern Program is designed to give you that opportunity.

The program places first-year students directly within AMS offices, commissions, executive portfolios, and student-run services. Interns work alongside leaders throughout the year and contribute to real projects, initiatives, events, advocacy, communications, operations, and services.

You do not need previous experience to explore these opportunities. The program is an introduction to the organization, with positions covering a wide range of interests and skill sets. Whether you’re interested in marketing, student government, advocacy, sustainability, clubs, communications, finance, equity, or service operations, there is an opportunity to explore.

 

Why Become a First-Year Intern?

Getting involved can sometimes feel intimidating when you’re new to Queen’s. The First-Year Intern Program gives you a chance to start small, learn directly from experienced student leaders, and figure out what areas of campus involvement interest you most.

As an intern, you can gain hands-on professional experience, build transferable skills, receive mentorship, meet people from across the AMS, and contribute to projects that directly affect Queen’s students. Depending on your position, you could find yourself conducting research, helping organize an event, developing a campaign, creating content, supporting student advocacy, reviewing policies, analyzing data, or helping operate an AMS service.

Most importantly, you’ll have the opportunity to bring a first-year perspective to the AMS. You’re not expected to arrive knowing everything. Your ideas, experiences, and perspective as someone new to Queen’s can help teams understand how they can better reach and support first-year students.

 

Explore Your Opportunities

There are opportunities across several areas of the AMS, so you can apply based on what you’re interested in learning and experiencing.

President

    Dreyden George, President

Interested in leadership, governance, advocacy, or getting a broad look at how a student government operates?

The President oversees the overall governance and operations of the AMS while representing undergraduate students to Queen’s and external partners. As an intern, you can gain exposure to several areas of student leadership through meeting preparation and minute-taking, policy research, outreach, student engagement, and projects that emerge throughout the year.

This is a strong opportunity if you want to explore different parts of the AMS rather than focusing on just one area.

Vice-President (University Affairs) 

    Edward Sy, VPUA

Interested in advocacy, policy, research, campaigns, or understanding how student government works with Queen’s and government?

This portfolio gives you experience across several areas. University Affairs oversees AMS commissions including Social Issues, Sustainability, Campus Affairs, External Affairs, and Clubs. Interns can contribute to research and data collection, environmental scans, policy analysis, event planning, campaigns, meetings, and longer-term projects.

 

Vice-President (Operations) 

    Avery Papoulidis, VP OPS

Interested in business, finance, strategy, data, or what happens behind the scenes to keep student services running?

The Vice-President (Operations) oversees the operational and financial side of the AMS and works with nine student-run services. Intern projects can include researching services at other universities, reviewing customer experiences, tracking engagement metrics, comparing budgets, and brainstorming new programs and opportunities for students.

It’s an opportunity to see the AMS from a business and organizational perspective while working on projects with tangible outcomes.

Communications Office

    Akaran Siva, Director

Interested in writing, photography, websites, content creation, events, outreach, or getting involved in a little bit of everything?

The Communications Intern position is one of the most unique opportunities in the program, giving you the chance to build experience across multiple areas while helping shape how the AMS connects with students.

We help students discover the services, opportunities, events, and initiatives available to them. The office also works with partners across Queen’s and the broader community, meaning you’ll get exposure to projects happening throughout the AMS rather than one specific portfolio.

If you’re creative, outgoing, curious, and want a position where you can meet different people, build a diverse portfolio, and develop skills you can use in almost any future career, Communications gives you  room to explore what you’re good at and what you enjoy.

 

Marketing

    Ishmeet Jassal, Director

Interested in social media, graphic design, photography, videography, content creation, events, or marketing?

This position gives you room to explore. The Marketing Office helps connect students with AMS resources, opportunities, services, campaigns, and events. Interns can explore different areas of marketing based on their interests while contributing to major AMS initiatives and developing new ways to reach first-year students.

You don’t need to already know exactly which area of marketing you want to pursue. Part of the experience is getting the opportunity to try different things and learn what you enjoy.

 

Internal Affairs Office 

      Zahara W G, Secretariat

Interested in student government, policy, elections, governance, or law?

The Internal Affairs Office supports the governance systems that keep the AMS transparent, impartial, and accountable. Its work includes AMS Assembly, elections and referenda, policy development, the Board of Directors, Judicial Affairs, and other governance bodies.

As an intern, you could support legislative and Assembly processes, policy development, record management, outreach, and Judicial Affairs work while collaborating with different AMS leaders.

 

External Affairs 

    Commissioner Racheal Reddy

Interested in lobbying, housing, affordability, academics, accessibility, or government policy?

External Affairs gives you the opportunity to learn how student advocacy happens beyond campus. Interns can contribute to student consultations, surveys and focus groups, advocacy meetings, awareness campaigns, housing advocacy, municipal engagement, policy research, and Academic Caucus consultations. Your perspective as a first-year student can also help the AMS understand the issues newer students are experiencing.

 

Clubs

    Commissioner Caroline Ding

Interested in clubs, events, student life, or helping people find their place at Queen’s?

The Clubs Commission supports AMS-ratified clubs through grants, resources, governance, operational support, and major events including the Tricolour Open House, Hiring Fair, and Club Fest.

The Clubs Intern can help with club spotlights, event logistics and boothing, calendar planning, resources, and reviewing how the AMS supports clubs. You’ll also bring an important first-year perspective to conversations about how new students discover, join, and start clubs.

 

Social Issues

    Commissioner Eshal Alis

Interested in equity, inclusion, accessibility, education, advocacy, or community building?

The Social Issues Commission works across campus on Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism, and Accessibility initiatives. Interns can help create educational resources, workshops and awareness campaigns, conduct research, support mentorship and leadership programming, gather student feedback, evaluate programs, and contribute to outreach.

 

Food Bank 

     Simarjeet Singh, Head Manager

Interested in community service, operations, leadership, logistics, or food security?

The AMS Food Bank provides Queen’s students with access to fresh food and essential items in a confidential and non-judgmental environment. The intern will get a behind-the-scenes look at how the service operates while gaining experience with inventory, customer service, volunteer engagement, data analysis, and service management.

This position combines direct student impact with practical experience in running and improving a student service.

 

Environmental Sustainability 

    Comissioner, Alexander Wong

Interested in sustainability, environmental issues, research, education, and advocacy?

This role lets you explore how sustainability connects to student life. The Environmental Sustainability Commission works on initiatives including the Collective Closet and Community Gardens while supporting sustainability throughout AMS offices, commissions, and services. Interns can develop educational and outreach initiatives, gather student perspectives through surveys, research current issues, and assess sustainability initiatives across the AMS, Queen’s, Faculty Societies, and other Canadian institutions.

 

What Happens After You Apply?

If you apply, the next step is First-Year Intern Night on October 7th, 5 – 7PM, Polson Room 229 in the JDUC

Instead of a traditional interview where you sit across from one person for an extended period, Intern Night is designed to give you the chance to meet multiple AMS managers and learn about different opportunities before matching with a team.

During the evening, applicants will be divided into groups and rotate through six interview panels, with two managers at each panel. You’ll spend approximately five minutes at each panel, giving you the opportunity to meet managers from different areas of the AMS.

Each panel will have a question for applicants. During your rotation, everyone in your group will have an opportunity to respond. You’ll also get a better sense of the people behind the different portfolios and what working with their teams could look like.

After meeting the participating managers, you’ll rank the areas where you’d be most interested in working. Managers will also submit their preferences based on their conversations with applicants. Both sides of the process will then be considered when determining intern matches.

The goal isn’t just to interview you. It’s to help find a placement where your interests and the team’s needs align.

 

Still Figuring It Out?

Maybe you already know that you want to work in marketing or advocacy. Maybe you’re interested in five different things. Maybe you have no idea what you want to do yet.

That’s okay!

The First-Year Intern Program is an opportunity to learn by doing. You’ll get an inside look at student government and student-run services, develop experience you can carry into future jobs and campus involvement, and work alongside other students who can help you navigate your first year at Queen’s.

Your first year is a chance to explore. Find an opportunity that interests you, put yourself forward, and see where it takes you.

Apply Now

---