Your Vote, Your Voice: Inside the 2026/27 Queen’s AMS Elections

Written by Communications on January 28, 2026. Posted in Blog Post.

The Alma Mater Society (AMS) Executive Elections are officially underway. From January 28-30, Queen’s undergraduate students will vote for leaders who will represent them during the 2026/27 academic year.

At the AMS Executive Election Debate, candidates for Vice President of University Affairs, Vice President of Operations, and President shared their priorities, reflected on their experience, and outlined how they plan to strengthen student life at Queen’s. Here’s what students need to know before casting their ballots.

Why the AMS Executive Matters

The AMS Executive represents undergraduate students in discussions with the university, oversees student services and fees, and advocates on issues ranging from affordability to equity and mental health. The team elected this year will play a major role in shaping student advocacy and services across campus.

When and How to Vote

Voting Dates: January 28-30
Who Can Vote: All Queen’s undergraduate students
How: Online through official AMS voting channels

Vice President of University Affairs: Edward Sy

Running for Vice President of University Affairs, Edward Sy is campaigning on a three-pillar framework he calls A.C.E.: Accountability, Community, and Efficiency, with the goal of creating a student experience that is transparent, connected, and effective.

Edward brings a strong background in student leadership and advocacy to the VPUA role. He has served as AMS Social Issues Commissioner (2025–26), where he worked directly on equity-focused initiatives and student advocacy efforts. His experience as a Residence Don in both Victoria Hall and Endaayaan-Tkanónsote has given him firsthand insight into student needs, wellbeing, and community building within residence life.

Edward has also worked as a Yellow House Event Programmer and Receptionist, gaining experience in student-facing service delivery, and previously served as HSS I-EDIAA Commissioner (2024–25), where he focused on inclusion, equity, diversity, and accessibility initiatives. Together, these roles have shaped his understanding of how student voices move, or sometimes struggle to move, through institutional systems.

Edward emphasized that accountability within the AMS and the university should be accessible and tangible, not an uphill battle for students. His platform focuses on making advocacy clearer and more approachable through initiatives such as advocacy town halls, an “AMS 101” framework to demystify student government, and public progress trackers that allow students to see how advocacy efforts are advancing. Edward framed accountability as ensuring students understand not only what is being done, but how and why their voices are being represented.

The second pillar of Edward’s campaign is community. He highlighted the importance of building stronger relationships with Queen’s University, the City of Kingston, and other universities to better support a growing and diverse student body. His platform also emphasizes community partnerships, strengthened human rights and inclusive spaces, and accessible support, events, and perks for students and clubs. Edward described community as the foundation for advocacy that reflects real student needs and lived experiences.

Edward’s final pillar, efficiency, focuses on ensuring that student time, money, and energy are not wasted. He proposed improving public-facing AMS services, creating a centralized and visible resource hub, and streamlining club and event processes to reduce administrative barriers. Edward emphasized that effective advocacy depends on systems that work smoothly and allow students to focus on engagement rather than bureaucracy.

Together, Edward’s A.C.E. framework presents a vision for the VPUA role that prioritizes clear accountability, strong community connections, and efficient systems to support a student experience that works for students.

Vice President of Operations: Avery Papoulidis

Running for Vice President of Operations, Avery Papoulidis is campaigning on three pillars focused on equitable service support, transparent operations, and a more connected campus. Her platform centres on strengthening AMS services while keeping students informed about how their fees are managed.

Avery shared that she is running for VPOPs because she cares deeply about the people behind AMS services and believes the systems supporting them must be fair, sustainable, and transparent. Through her experience working in management at Queen’s Pub, where she currently serves as Assistant Manager of Marketing, Avery has seen firsthand how leadership, communication, and consistency directly impact student staff and the quality of services students rely on every day.

She brings a long history of leadership, having held management roles since age 16 across retail and restaurant environments. In addition to her operational experience, Avery has served in executive and chair positions for several campus mental health organizations, including Step Above Stigma, Proactive Minds, and Queen’s Pre-Therapy Society.

Avery is also deeply involved in community engagement, having volunteered with organizations such as Queen’s Soul Food, the Sexual Health Resource Centre, and the Kingston Sexual Assault Centre. She emphasized a hands-on, mentorship-driven leadership style, describing her approach as one that prioritizes standing alongside student staff rather than leading from a distance.

Under equal support for all AMS services, Avery emphasized expanding mentorship and regular check-ins for every Head and Assistant Manager, ensuring that all services receive fair attention, visibility, and problem-solving support. She also highlighted the importance of greater involvement of Assistant Managers in service-level discussions to build leadership continuity, along with clear expectations and consistent communication across services. Avery described her leadership style as hands-on and approachable, not only present during moments of crisis.

Avery’s second pillar focuses on student-focused, transparent operations. She proposed making financial information clearer and more accessible, so students can easily understand where their dollars go. Her platform stresses data-driven decision-making, informed by service usage, foot traffic, and student feedback. Avery also advocated for earlier operating budget presentations, December budget reporting comparing projections to actuals, and plain-language explanations for major budget decisions.

The third pillar of Avery’s campaign is a more connected and accessible AMS. She outlined plans for stronger collaboration across AMS services and commissions, including monthly cross-service meetings to share updates and plan joint initiatives. Avery also emphasized improving relationships with Faculty Societies and making AMS spaces and leadership more approachable through consistent presence, open-door practices, and clearer communication. Central to this vision is a shift in AMS culture from competition toward shared goals and collaboration.

Together, Avery’s platform frames the VPOPs role as one that supports services equitably, prioritizes transparency, and builds a more cohesive student experience.

AMS President: Dreyden George and Alex McArthur

Dreyden George

Dreyden George is running for AMS President on a platform grounded in experience, accountability, and results-driven leadership. Dreyden highlighted a record of proven experience in student governance, having worked in several AMS Commissioner roles, including External Affairs, Social Issues, and Clubs. He has also served as Chair of the AMS Board of Directors, gaining direct experience in governance, oversight, and long-term planning. Beyond campus, Dreyden currently works as President and Chair of a community economic development corporation, and has volunteered with multiple student clubs, including serving as Co-President of QBACC.

His campaign is organized around three key areas A.T.E.: affordability, transparency, and engagement.

Affordability: To address cost-of-living pressures, Dreyden proposes:

Negotiating student discounts and benefits for commonly used services
Launching an AMS-covered move-in/move-out initiative to reduce moving costs for first- and upper-year students
Developing partnerships to expand non-market, student-centred housing options
Expanding resources and eligible costs under the Academic Accessibility Bursary

Transparency: Dreyden emphasized the importance of trust and accountability within student government. His transparency-focused initiatives include:

Improving website accessibility and resources that explain AMS strategies, finances, and governance structures
Building a proactive culture of transparency within the AMS, rather than reactive communication
Enhancing engagement and awareness around elections, Assembly, and judicial affairs
Expanding incentives and outreach for student research and feedback

Engagement: A central pillar of Dreyden’s campaign is strengthening student connection to the AMS. His engagement plans include:

Hosting forums such as town halls, caucuses, and roundtables to gather student feedback
Expanding marketing and outreach that highlights student voices and reinforces the AMS motto, “For Students. By Students.”
Increasing collaboration with clubs and Faculty Societies to expand programming in AMS spaces
Partnering with third-party event organizers to bring larger-scale events to campus

Overall, Dreyden’s campaign presents a vision of an AMS presidency focused on delivering results, addressing affordability, and building trust through transparency and engagement.

Alex McArthur

Alex McArthur is running for AMS President on a platform built around representation, collaboration, and transparency, with a focus on strengthening how the AMS understands and serves students.

Alex is a third-year Life Sciences student at Queen’s University and currently serves as a member of the AMS Board of Directors, where he has been involved in governance and decision-making that shape student life. Throughout his time at Queen’s, Alex has been highly engaged on campus, supporting incoming students during their transition to university through Arts and Science Orientation.

In addition to his governance and orientation experience, Alex has been an active contributor to campus culture as Drum Major for Queen’s Bands, helping foster school spirit and community connection. These roles have shaped his understanding of both the formal structures of student government and the importance of visibility, engagement, and tradition in the student experience.

The first pillar of Alex’s campaign is representation. He emphasized a data-driven approach to student advocacy, using student feedback and engagement metrics to better understand undergraduate needs and more effectively represent students in discussions with the university.

Alex’s second pillar centers on collaboration, particularly through stronger relationships with Faculty Societies. He highlighted the role of collaboration in improving student programming and strengthening advocacy efforts by ensuring campus groups are aligned and working toward shared goals.

The third pillar of Alex’s platform is transparency. Alex stressed that transparency goes beyond sharing updates, which requires clearly explaining why decisions are made and how they are intended to improve the student experience at Queen’s. He framed transparent communication as essential to building trust between students and the AMS.

Together, Alex’s platform presents a vision of the AMS presidency that prioritizes informed representation, cooperative leadership, and open communication.

A Shared Message: Student Engagement Matters

Despite differing platforms, all candidates stressed the importance of student participation. The AMS is a democratic system, and its effectiveness depends on students staying informed and engaged.

Final Thoughts

The 2026/27 AMS Elections give students a direct say in the future of undergraduate life at Queen’s. Whether your priorities are affordability, equity, transparency, or engagement, the candidates have outlined distinct visions for the year ahead.

Take time to review the platforms, reflect on what matters most to you, and make your voice heard by voting January 28–30.

Because student leadership works best when students show up.

By: Vani Nayyar

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