When Dreyden George, ArtSci ’27, arrived at Queen’s from southern Vancouver Island, he became the first person in his family’s direct line to attend university.
Now entering his fifth year in a joint honours degree in economics and environmental studies, George has reached another milestone as the first Indigenous student elected president of the AMS.
“It’s kind of disappointing, but it’s also a huge achievement,” George said in an interview with The Journal.
George grew up in a First Nation community near T’Sou-ke, B.C., where approximately 400 people live across two reserve lands. He said previous generations of his family hadn’t attended university, in part because of historical barriers Indigenous peoples faced when accessing post-secondary education.
Home is still central to his life. Describing himself as a “West Coast person,” George said that whenever he returns to B.C., he spends most of his time hiking, zip-lining, bungee jumping, and camping.
“If I was back at home for the summer, I would be camping pretty much any time I have a day off for more than 24 hours,” he said.
Before Queen’s, George lived independently from age 16. He said managing an apartment, working full-time, and solving problems without much guidance required him to mature early.
Those experiences also taught him to stay realistic about his capacity while believing problems can be worked through. His family and Elders shaped his approach by teaching him about “perpetual learning.”
“Just being a youth doesn’t mean you’re a learner. It’s a lifelong thing,” he said.
His choice to come to Queen’s over other universities stemmed from the available programs being compatible with his interests, alongside a broader interest to explore a new environment.
“I did feel like I needed to explore the east […] just to kind of see what living over there was like,” he said, arriving in Kingston knowing only one other person from his hometown.
Before coming to campus, he researched student clubs to meet people. George said his high school didn’t have a student government or comparable club system and, as the first person in his family to attend university, he knew little about what to expect.
His introduction to the AMS came partly through his search for employment. Having worked full-time throughout high school, he planned to replace some of that income.
He applied for two AMS positions: indigenous initiatives coordinator and social issues commissioner (internal). After being turned down for the indigenous initiatives position, George said he didn’t expect to land the commissioner role.
Four rounds of interviews later, he was hired, marking his introduction into the AMS.
The narrow portfolio as a commissioner encouraged him to consider the AMS more broadly. After an unsuccessful campaign for vice-president (university affairs) in the 2025-26 election, George stayed involved and was later elected chair of the AMS Board of Directors.
By the time nominations opened for the 2026-27 executive, he had come to view the presidency as more than just managing the AMS offices, but as an opportunity to represent students across the University, working with faculties, senior administrators, and the Board of Trustees.
George said learning he was the first Indigenous AMS president wasn’t surprising. During his first year in AMS leadership, he said he was typically the only Indigenous person in the room.
“One of the things I think is always tricky is making sure I’m not being the only Indigenous person I’m listening to within my advocacy, because I don’t think it’s a monolithic thing,” he said.
As president, he said his goals reflect his experience as a low-income, first generation, and Indigenous student, while addressing concerns affecting the entire student body.
“The ultimate goal is to improve the organization to improve the student experience,” George said.
Tags
AMS president, Dreyden George, Indigenous, Indigenous President
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