Presidents Dawood Tullah and Jana Amer speak to their background and goals for their term.
Amer and Tullah began their terms as Presidents of the Alma Mater Society (AMS) and the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS), respectively, on May 1. As student leaders, Amer and Tullah are responsible for representing their constituencies of students, overseeing student services, and advocating for student needs at various administrative levels. The Journal sat down with both executives to learn more about their backgrounds, goals, and visions for the year ahead.
Jana Amer
Amer, HealthSci’26, first stepped onto Queen’s campus in the fall of 2022.
“I plopped right onto campus. It was actually my first time seeing it,” Amer said. “The pier was such a beautiful surprise, because I had no clue that it existed. I was like, ‘Sign me up for four years.’”
As a first-year student, Amer had no idea what to expect from university, let alone that she would one day become President of the AMS, representing nearly 20,000 undergraduate students at Queen’s.
“I was student government president in high school, and I told myself I would never do that again [… ] and that promise broke,” she said.
Amer confessed that what changed her mindset was her first introduction to the AMS, which came through the coverage of an AMS election scandal, where the running Vice-President (Operations) Elisabeth McHarg, ArtSci ’23, was shown McHarg eating a piece of watermelon. In the photo, her skin appears to be painted several shades darker than it is.
“I love elections, it’s something I’ve always followed,” she said. “Seeing that happen, I was honestly very intrigued by the organization, and I felt like I wanted to learn more.”
She got her start in student government as a Council member in the Residence Society (ResSoc), later serving as House President. In her second year, Amer was elected ResSoc Vice-President (Operations) and soon after appointed AMS Social Issues Commissioner.
“Last year was definitely a very busy year,” she said. “But because of that, and a lot of the challenges I ended up facing, I felt like I had a vision for making the student government something that continues to serve students and serve them even better.”
Now as AMS President, Amer is focused on increasing awareness of the AMS and ensuring students can easily access its resources. This includes reviving newsletters, updating the AMS website, and doing regular boothing.
“We’re trying to be where students are and meet them where they are, rather than always expecting them to come to us.”
Dawood Tullah
Dawood Tullah, Law ’26, first came to the University as an international student in 2014 to complete his undergrad. After spending time in different university spaces in Montreal and Calgary, he was drawn back to Queen’s for law school. However, upon his return, he found that the campus no longer felt like the place he once knew, lacking a sense of community.
“I found a very different campus from the one I remembered, and that contrast inspired me to get involved. I wanted to help rebuild the sense of community I once experienced and support students navigating today’s challenges.”
He explained that, to him, the SGPS is a student government that advocates for graduate and professional students’ academic and personal needs while also providing student services and fostering community. He plans to focus on supposed key issues affecting students, including housing, food security, transit, and healthcare.
In particular, he aims to partner with Good Times Diner and work with sponsors to support the Mason Jar Meal Program, which addresses food security by providing affordable meal options for students.
Looking at his approach to supporting underrepresented graduate students, Tullah stressed the importance of equity. “Equity is not just a checkbox; it’s something we embed into every decision. We’re working to ensure that equity-seeking students are part of the conversation from the start, not as an afterthought.”
Moving forward, Tullah explained he’s committed to creating sustainable change at Queen’s by addressing long-term student needs and fostering a more inclusive campus, such as the student housing crisis. His goal is to build a stronger foundation that will support both current and future students, ensuring that resources and opportunities remain accessible.
Reflecting on his own experience as a graduate student, Tullah explained one piece of advice he wishes he had received earlier.
“Take care of yourself, your health, your joy, your community. Your education is temporary, but the habits and relationships you build now will shape your future.”
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AMS, AMS president, SGPS, SGPS president
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