From a new media service to a student-run coffeehouse, the AMS head managers are gearing up for the 2024-25 year.
The AMS head managers, tasked with overseeing the operations of their service to ensure it runs smoothly, assumed their roles on May 1.
Seven AMS head managers sat down with The Journal to discuss what they have in store for the year.
Elena Nurzynski, Common Ground Coffeehouse Head Manager
After serving as the and Staff Relations Assistant Manager at Common Ground Coffeehouse (CoGro), Elena Nurzynski, HealthSci ’25, naturally progressed to the role of Head Manager.
This year, Nurzynski is fostering connections with CoGro staff on an istrative level. She looks forward to impacting the operational and leadership aspects of the service by ing her staff and connecting with customers.
In addition to open mic nights, where students take to CoGro’s stage to perform, Nurzynski has several new events planned this year, but she can’t reveal them quite yet.
Stop by CoGro, located in the Queen’s Athletics & Recreation Centre (ARC), to get Nurzynski’s favourite order—an iced matcha latte with lavender and a cheddar bagel with top secret cream cheese, sprouts, and cucumber.
Andrew Dam, Walkhome Head Manager
Walkhome Head Manager Andrew Dam, HealthSci ’25, is revitalizing the nighttime service after a decline in engagement last year.
Core aspects of the service will remain, including distance walks, where a Walkhome staff member accompanies a student from a distance, ensuring they get home safe, and silent walks, where an employee walks home with students but doesn’t speak to them. However, internal and external changes will be made to the service.
“Internally, I want to focus on initiatives geared towards inclusivity and staff appreciation,” Dam said.
“Externally, just increasing the service usage through things like our student engagement and analytics portfolio and also just engaging more with the Queen’s community,” he added.
Abdullah Arif, Food Bank Head Manager
AMS Food Bank is expanding under the leadership of Head Manager Abdullah Arif, HealthSci ’25.
The AMS Food Bank collects non-perishable goods, providing them to students facing food insecurity. The service helps run The Peach Market alongside Student Affairs, selling packaged food at a “pay-what-you-can” price to students on campus.
Arif wants to work more with Kingston community partners, such as United Way, a Kingston food bank, and bring back initiatives like the Walkathon Club—a partnership with FryWay food truck where Queen’s community exchange non-perishable food items for free french fries.
Noah Hill, StuCons Head Manager
Despite this being his first position within the AMS, StuCons Head Manager Noah Hill, ArtSci ’25, is eager to enhance the service’s approachability and effectiveness. The Queen’s security service will ensure the safety of students in the Queen’s Pub, re-opening in the JDUC.
READ MORE: AMS StuCons continue year long rebrand
StuCons stands out from other security services as it’s completely student-run, making staff more considerate when dealing with tough situations on campus, Hill explained.
“We have that advantage of knowing where those students are coming from and being able to relate to that, being students as well,” Hill explained.
Mikayla Crawford, Tricolour Outlet Head Manager
As the Head Manager of the student-run merchandise store, Mikayla Crawford, ArtSci ’25, is ensuring Tricolour Outlet has something special for everyone in the Queen’s community.
All merchandise sold by Tricolour Outlet is designed by students, a tradition Crawford is continuing. There will be new drops for special events like St. Patrick’s Day and Homecoming, Crawford explained.
Crawford will continue to run the Tricolour Express, a bus service operated by the Tricolour Outlet exclusively for Queen’s students. Buses head from Kingston to Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
Heiden Jacobi, AMS Media Centre Head Manager
The AMS Media Centre (AMC) is a one-stop shop for all your media needs including photography, videography, graphic design, publication, and printing. The AMC, a new service this year, amalgamates what was formerly Studio Q and the Print and Copy Centre (P&CC).
AMC Head Manager Heiden Jacobi, ArtSci ’26, is tackling the role using his experience from the P&CC where he served as the purchasing production manager, as well as his personal expertise as a visual artist and designer.
Jacobi acknowledges that videography and photography can be expensive. As a non-profit service, the AMC provides high-quality services at a student-friendly cost.
“Based off of preliminary discussions with the marketing director, we’re in a very competitive price range. Beating the prices in the library is very important to us,” Jacobi said.
Zoya Malik, Peer Centre Head Manager
The Peer Centre (PSC) is a peer-to-peer service where students can drop in and speak with trained volunteers about any problems they might be facing. Volunteers are trained to listen and provide recommendations to get students the aid they need.
As a former volunteer and supervisor at the PSC, incoming Head Manager Zoya Malik, HealthSci ’25, believes the service provides something other mental health services are lacking.
“Since we deal with student and peer mental health, it might be more difficult to open up to, for example, professionals at Student Wellness Services,” Malik said.
“The PSC can be a stepping stone to accessing mental health because it lessens that intimidating barrier because you’re talking to peers who have likely been in similar situations to you,” she added.
The PSC hosts community-building events such as BIPOC Talk and Queers for Peers. Last year, BIPOC Talk ran an arts and crafts night while Queers for Peers ran a bi-weekly movie night series called “Queerly Watching” where students came together to watch queer movies. Malik wants to expand on these initiatives and introduce new events this school year.
Starting in September, the PSC will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Samantha Barton, The Queen’s Pub Head Manager
The Journal ran a separate story on The Queen’s Pub.
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