As the design industry is impacted by rapidly evolving technologies, tertiary graphic design curriculums must be continuously updated to ensure that students, specifically exit-level students, are prepared for the rigours of industry. Zines and DIY alternative publications have limited commercial value, and so may be regarded as less important than learning units that respond to the commercial (and increasingly digital) nature of industry. This paper argues that not only do zines remain relevant, but that the inclusion of a zine project in an undergraduate design curriculum is a valuable addition to the programme. While the programme suitably prioritises employability, and the majority of our departmental final year curriculum is set up with this purpose in mind, this paper argues for the value of zines as pedagogical tools to promote student voices and narratives. I make use of reflective practitioner research in a discussion of my approach towards coordinating the project, a brief reflective thematic analysis of a sample of the student work to support my argument.