You can volunteer in one of the government branches of the AMS (called commissions), the AMS Sustainability Office, or at one of the four AMS media services.  Each commission, office, and media service offers different opportunities for you to apply your skills and talents, learn some new things, and meet some great people. Volunteers in any of these roles get the chance to work closely with full-time AMS staff members and play a significant role in the operations of the AMS.

Where can I volunteer?

Academic Affairs Commission: This commission does a lot of external advocacy as well as runs awareness and educational campaigns for Queen’s students. The Teaching Awards Committee is one way that the AAC promotes quality teaching while rewarding some amazing professors and TAs. They also run a financial aid awareness week, which aims to educate students on various resources available to them. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Susannah Gouinlock at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and visit the commission’s page on this site!

Campus Activities Commission: The CAC runs three main branches: Arts, Politics, and Sports. The Arts Committees put on amazing events such as Best Darn Singer on Campus, Charity Ball (the only all-year, all-faculty formal event), and Exposure Arts Festival. The Politics Committees in the CAC run a model UN and a model Parliament. The Sports committees put on some really fun and active events such as Catch Me If You Can and Snow Pitch. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Lindsay Brent at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and visit the commission’s page on this site!

Commission of Internal Affairs: The CIA facilitates the 200+ Queen’s clubs, runs elections, and administers the Non-Academic Discipline system (the only student-run one of its kind). The CIA needs dedicated volunteers for all of these programs. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Lucas Anderson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and visit the commission’s page on this site!

Municipal Affairs Commission: The MAC runs a Student Property Assessment Team, and other committees such as Kaleidoscope that do a lot of community outreach. If you’re interested in making a difference in the Kingston community, the MAC is the place to be. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Libby Shaker at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and visit the commission’s page on this site!

Social Issues Commission: The SIC produces some amazing publications such as the Queen’s Feminist Review, CultureSHOCK!, and Outwrite. The SIC is also involved with advocacy and awareness of many social justice issues such as accessibility, racial and ethnic discrimination, and education on queer issues. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Samantha Boyce at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and visit the commission’s page on this site!

Sustainability Office: The Sustainability Office provides information and solutions to students who are looking to make less of an environmental impact. For example, the Greenovations committee is looking for volunteers to go into student homes to do “green” retrofits such as installing energy efficient light bulbs that will decrease energy consumption (which means cheaper energy bills!). To learn more about these opportunities, contact Claire Nelischer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and visit the office’s page on this site!

Queen’s TV: QTV, now in its 21st season, produces great segments that appear on the local cable channel as well as on their website, www.queenstelevision.org each week. If you’re interested in hosting, producing, or editing, QTV is a great place to get some experience! To learn more about these opportunities, contact Thomas Saun at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Queen’s Journal: The oldest student-run newspaper in North America needs writers, photographers, and other volunteers to put together this amazing publication. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Jane and Mike Woods at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tricolour Publications Services: This service produces the annual Tricolour Yearbook, the Guide to Queen's Agenda, provides design services, and runs the Graduate Photography program. Formerly separate services known as the Yearbook and Convocation Services, the Guide to Queen's Agenda, and P&CC Design, TPS fills the needs of all of these under one unified service. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Jeff Fraser at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

CFRC: Canada’s oldest radio station wants some new volunteers to help with production, or to host a show. Work along-side community members at this station that serves both the Queen’s and Kingston community. To learn more about these opportunities, contact Chris Trimmer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

What can I do?
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities in the AMS, and it is best to break them down in terms of time commitment. The time commitment for volunteer opportunities can range from 5-15 hours per week (although it may be a bit more at times such as when you’re putting on your main event). Here is a description of positions based on their time commitment:

Less than 5 hours per week:
Committee Member: there are a variety of committees in each one of the five AMS commissions as well as in the Sustainability Office that are responsible for things such as running campus-wide events, producing publications, advocating on behalf of students, and providing student services.
Queen’s Journal Contributor: if you’re interested in occasionally writing articles for the Journal, volunteering to contribute is a great way to get involved! They are looking for reliable writers who want some experience in journalism.

5 hours per week:
Committee Chair: chairs coordinate the operations and administration of a committee. They are responsible for managing their committee’s budgets and ensuring that all deadlines are met.
CFRC Volunteer: you can help with segment production, promotions, music programming (library maintenance, hosting, etc.), news and spoken word programming (hosting, writing, producing, etc.), and many other aspects of the station’s operations!
Queen’s TV Volunteer: volunteers have the opportunity to work as segment producers, writers, cinematographers, actors/reporters, editors, of students who can help with marketing. You don’t have to have any previous experience with filming or production to get involved.

5-10 hours per week:
Yearbook and Convocation Services Volunteer: volunteers can work as a section editor, photographer, designer, or be a part of the Tricolour Yearbook marketing team. This is a great opportunity to shape and preserve students’ memories of Queen’s.
Head NEWT or FYNIRS Chair: Plan and organize Orientation Week for transfer or exchange students, or for first-year students who aren’t in residence. Put your event-planning skills to work to shape the most memorable week of many students’ Queen’s experience!

10 hours per week:
Deputy Commissioner: Deputies work directly under the full-time Commissioners and oversee its various committees. Deputy portfolios vary greatly from commission to commission, but each portfolio offers the chance for you to develop your leadership and time management skills. Since these positions require a greater time commitment, volunteers will be rewarded a small honorarium when they fulfill their responsibilities.
MAC Employment Opportunities Coordinator: Make connections with Kingston businesses and help make more employment opportunities known to Queen’s students. You will not only put your communication skills to use, but also advertising and marketing abilities!

15 + hours per week:
Queen’s Journal Volunteer Staff: the Journal offers many positions such as section or copy editors, photographers, and advertising managers. Student can gain great managerial, editorial, and marketing experience while volunteering at one of North America’s oldest student-run newspapers. Since these positions require a greater time commitment, volunteers will be rewarded a small honorarium when they fulfill their responsibilities.

Visit the pages for each commission, media service, or the Sustainability Office to learn more about what they do and all of the committees they offer.

Check out the Apply Now page for details about when these positions will be hired and for application forms!