History and Spanish graduate Zoe Dahse used her time at UCL to spotlight student voices and uncover campus life, discovering skills that set her on a path towards writing and journalism.
When Zoe Dahse arrived at UCL at 18, London felt enormous; thrilling, disorienting, and nothing like the small Surrey village she’d grown up in. Over four years studying History and Spanish, she learned to find her place in the capital, growing in confidence and seizing new opportunities to develop her creative aspirations.
Zoe’s degree took her to Madrid for a year of study abroad, a city she now calls home.
Being immersed in a different culture and speaking to people in a different language gave me a lot of confidence. If I could navigate a foreign country, I could do other things.
Raised in a bilingual home and an avid reader, she always had a flair for language and knew she wanted to do something with writing. However, it wasn’t until her third year of university that she was able to put that passion into practice.
Elected as 2024-25 President of Pi Media, UCL’s oldest student-run journalism society and magazine, Zoe coordinated a full editorial team across print, online, and broadcast, including overseeing two new issues of their print magazine. It was a crash course in newsroom management; balancing deadlines, writers, design, and often, opposing viewpoints. A career in journalism became an exciting possibility.
Working at Pi gave Zoe the confidence to apply for UCL’s Student Storytellers scheme, after an initial unsuccessful application in her second year. This time, she got in and loved writing across a range of student-focused issues, from political visits and major cultural events to explainers on student wellbeing services and financial support.
Getting an email in my inbox that said: "here’s an opportunity to now cover this completely different topic", writing to a tight deadline and making it all make sense… I absolutely thrived in that environment.
Graduating in 2025, Zoe is currently teaching English in Spain while studying for a professional qualification with the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NTCJ). She is also writing a new feminist zine, girlfriend! and hopes her future career will encompass both writing and teaching.
Zoe is still writing, still questioning and still moving toward the life she wants, but she’s feeling optimistic:
I'm most proud of my ability to be positive in hard situations, something my mum and dad have taught me by virtue of them being how they are. I hope I’ve tried to make the most of the opportunities afforded to me and enjoy it along the way.
