Darcy Lan

Here's what I've been up to!

February Report

I have been expanding the Postgraduate Career Supercharger programme, rolling out two key events. The Networking Practice with Alumni session, improved based on student feedback, provided a structured yet relaxed space for students to practise networking and connect with alumni. It was a full house, and I was thrilled to hear that some attendees had already arranged follow-up coffee chats with alumni. I also launched the People Management Workshop in collaboration with the Public Speaking Society, where students developed leadership skills, prepared for interview questions, and improved networking confidence. More student led career events are in the pipeline!

I played an active role in supporting academic reps, particularly through the Academic Rep Conference, ensuring it maximised opportunities for networking, learning, and reflection. I also designed an interactive workshop for reps on how to organise career and alumni networking events for their cohorts, which was well received.

Additionally, I worked closely with UCL Careers to bring more career events for students, including the Part-Time Jobs Fair and workshops on job interviews, assessment centres, and employer sponsorship for international students. I also represented the SU at the Doctoral School Welcome Online Information Event, introducing new research students to our offerings and representation opportunities.

How have I communicated with students in the past fortnight?

    I have met with society committee members to coordinate and expand joint events as part of the Postgraduate Career Supercharger programme, which I am currently developing.

I have had 1-1 meetings with students to discuss their concerns and provide support.

I have engaged with PG student representatives to address specific issues, support their projects, and assist in organising community-building events, study sessions, career events for their cohorts.

I have actively participated in various activities, a wide range of events, clubs, and societies, including supporting international fairs.

I have been communicating with students via email, offering support and assisting them with their queries.

I hosted 2 Postgraduate Career Supercharger events and the academic rep conference.

My Priorities

Masters students are empowered to enhance and confidently articulate their skills and experience to further their future employment and life chances.

I Joined CRIS pop up at IOE to encourage students to get involved with the Community Research Initiative, which allows postgraduate students to make social impact through dissertation and research consulting – plus, looks good on their CV.

I’ve also been working closely with UCL Careers to bring more career events for students! Part-time jobs fair on Mon, 24 Feb 2025 is coming up, also we have got Job Interview Technique, Assessment Centre skill sessions, Interactive Journalism workshop, Life & Health Sciences Careers Talk ready to supercharge your career!

For international students - Visa talks, Target the Right UK Employer SPONSOR & Achieve Interview Success events have been lined up.

I’ve been busy expanding the programme of events I developed, called the Postgraduate Career Supercharger! It’s designed especially for PG students who want to develop their transferable skills, learn more about job applications, boost their confidence and connect with like-minded people.

Postgraduate Career Supercharger has two branches at the moment, yayyy!

Branch one: networking practice with alumni
Building on the success of last term’s pilot session, I have incorporated feedback to enhance the Networking Practice with Alumni event. The session is designed to provide students with a practical and supportive space to develop and demonstrate their networking skills in a safe, non-judgemental environment—with FREE refreshments included!
This is an introvert-friendly session, perfect for students who want to gain confidence in networking. In this in-person mixer with UCL students and alumni, attendees will:
Practise networking in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
Naturally learn more about alumni and their career journeys through meaningful conversations.
Gain golden tips for effective networking at the start of the session.

We ended up having a full house, and I was absolutely thrilled to see everyone enjoying the event while having the opportunity to build meaningful connections. One of the highlights for me was when a student came up to me and shared how grateful she was for this event - it had given her the chance to connect with an alumni speaker, and they had already arranged a coffee chat for next week to continue their conversation. In that moment, all the late nights and effort put into organising this event felt completely worth it.

Branch two: transferable skill workshops
Rolled out the People Management Workshop (Postgraduate Career Supercharger X Public Speaking Society), a collaborative event designed to help students develop essential leadership and interpersonal skills. Through a hands-on, practical session, attendees will:
 

• Gain a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses in people management.
• Feel more prepared for interview questions related to handling people and team dynamics.
• Naturally connect with fellow attendees, exchanging insights on job searches, career plans, and professional journeys - helping to bridge the information gap.
• Build confidence in networking and forming professional relationships in the future.

Academic Reps are engaged and empowered to represent students, who are listened to and work in partnership with staff to improve the learning experience.

I’ve been involved in planning the Academic Rep Conference, making sure the event is designed to maximise the experience for academic reps.

I also designed an interactive workshop called Postgraduate Career Supercharger - How to develop career/alumni events? So, students could learn more about Postgraduate Career Supercharger, and how to get involved? how to develop simple but impactful career events/alumni networking events for your cohort? What did I do to make these events happen?

Followed by interactive group activities to brainstorm and map out the exciting project as well as work together to tackle barriers reps might come across.
I was over the moon hearing many reps liked my workshop, found it useful and would like to get involved! Sending love to our committed reps!

Research students are supported and empowered in a thriving community where they feel they belong and are valued.

Doctoral School Welcome Online Information Event – where I had a digital stall and a Q&A session to tell our new PGR students what the SU is and what we have to offer. How could I support them? How to join our research student network? How to become academic reps in their cohorts?

Meetings & Outcomes

Union meetings attended and main outcomes

I’ve been involved in planning the Academic Rep Conference, making sure the event is designed to maximise the experience for academic reps. The aim is to create a day filled with opportunities for networking, learning, and reflection - giving reps the chance to connect with each other, gain valuable insights, and explore new ideas in a meaningful way.

UCL meetings attended and main outcomes

•  SU and Library Services Term 2 Catch-up

  I attended the SU and Library Services Term 2 Catch-up, where I raised concerns about the inconsistent heating in the IOE Library. Many students had flagged that the heating would cut off intermittently, leaving them struggling to concentrate in an uncomfortably cold environment. I stressed the need for a more reliable heating system to ensure students have a warm and suitable study space, especially during winter.

• Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) February Programme Board

  At the Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) February Programme Board , I gave feedback on the existing ELO offerings, particularly on how they could be made more accessible for postgraduate students. Given how time-pressed many postgrads are due to academic and work commitments (sometimes caring responsibility), I highlighted the need for greater flexibility in these opportunities. I suggested ways to make the programme more adaptable to postgraduate schedules, ensuring they can fully benefit from the additional learning and development resources available.  
• Education Policy Scrutiny Panel

  I also took part in the Education Policy Scrutiny Panel, where I supported discussions on improving the Personal Tutor Policy. I advocated for personal tutors to play a more active role in helping students engage with university life beyond their studies - whether that’s through extracurricular activities, networking, or involvement in Students’ Union UCL initiatives. I emphasised that fostering a stronger sense of belonging and connection within and beyond academic departments would make a real difference to students' experience at UCL.
   

Sabbatical Officer Reports

Our Sabbatical Officers create a report every two weeks to inform our members. They believe that keeping everyone in the loop can foster a lively, supportive atmosphere where students feel encouraged to participate and share their ideas. These updates are a great way for them to share what's been happening, from their current projects to collaborations with different student groups, academic departments, and community organizations. 

In each report, you can expect to find insights into the challenges they are tackling, the solutions they are implementing, and the positive impacts these efforts have on student life. From supporting engaging events and workshops to launching new programs that promote well-being and academic success, their initiatives are designed to enhance the overall campus experience.

Read Darcy's Reports Here

October: [No Report Submitted]

Postgraduate Officer - November Report 1

December: [No Report Due to Annual Leave]

January: [No Report Submitted]

Voting Record

As democratic leaders, all Sabbatical Officers must maintain transparency in their work. Below is a record of the voting on policies introduced during the academic year 2024-2025 and how Darcy has voted. Please note that Sabbatical Officers do not participate in all Zones and, therefore, do not vote on every policy.

These voting records were last updated on 4 March 2025.

Meetings & Committees I Attend:

• Activities Zone.
• Education Zone.
• Welfare and Community Zone.
• Union Executive.
• Board of Trustees and committees.
• Students' Union Leadership Team.
• UCL Academic Board.
• UCL Academic Committee.
• UCL Education Committee.
• UCL Library Committee.
• UCL Quality & Standards Committee.
• UCL Research Degrees Committee.
• UCL Research, Innovation and Global Engagement Committee.
• UCL Equality Monitoring and Advancement Group.
• UCL Open Science & Scholarship Committee.     
• UCL Research Ethics Change Advisory Group.
• UCL Bibliometrics Working Group.