Real Talk, Real Change: Tackling Student Health Gaps on a National Stage
From Wednesday, May 23rd to Friday, May 25th, AMS President Jana Amer (HealthSci ’26) and Vice President of University Affairs Alyssa Perisa (ArtSci ’24) travelled to Montreal—not for sightseeing, but to advocate for something that affects every Queen’s student: your health and dental benefits.
They attended Alumo’s (formerly StudentCare) annual national conference, where student leaders from across Canada came together to discuss the future of student insurance and how to better meet the needs of their peers. Throughout the three-day conference, Jana and Alyssa engaged in thoughtful dialogue about real challenges students are facing today, including gaps in mental health care, the need for more accessible services, and expanding access to gender-affirming care.
This was about action. In many group discussions, and one-on-one conversations, Jana and Alyssa shared concerns and listened to the strategies other student unions are implementing on their campuses. They returned with fresh insights and concrete ideas for how we can improve support systems here at Queen’s, both through our current health and dental coverage and through AMS-led advocacy initiatives.
By bringing Queen’s student voices to a national platform, our AMS leaders are making sure that decisions about your health and wellness are shaped by those who understand student life firsthand. These kinds of conversations don’t always make headlines, but they shape the policies and services you rely on every day.
Stay tuned in the coming months for updates on how these learnings will translate into tangible improvements for your student benefits and support systems on campus.
Change takes collaboration, and your AMS is committed to pushing that change forward.
For any questions, concerns, or media inquiries, please contact Mae Sacamay, Director of Communications, at . We’re here to help.