Internship success leads to a career at Duolingo

TJ Hampton believes that design is a language of accessibility that allows him to better communicate and understand information. As he looks toward his future as a product designer at Duolingo, he’s eager to channel that belief into his work.

“Duolingo’s mission is so strong. They want to provide an accessible language learning tool for everyone, completely free, and that really stuck with me as a designer,” said Hampton. “At Duolingo, it feels like I’m making a positive impact by supporting their goal to spread education to people who sometimes struggle to have access to it.”

Hampton, a fourth-year new media design student from Philadelphia, completed two summer internships at Duolingo that helped pave the way to his new full-time role with the company.

His first internship in 2024 was through Duolingo’s Thrive Program, which creates internship opportunities for underrepresented communities in tech. The experience helped Hampton understand the full scope of responsibilities for a product designer at the company. Following his first successful summer, the company encouraged him to apply for a graduating student internship in 2025.

The warm and welcoming community in the new media design program, Hampton said, supported him immensely throughout his time at RIT. In fact, Hampton credits his involvement with RIT’s New Media Club—of which he’s been a proud member for four years—for putting the internship opportunities at Duolingo on his radar.

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TJ Hampton and Associate Professor Hye‑Jin Nae pose for a photo during the Student Leadership Awards ceremony on April 9. Hampton identified Nae as a mentor who played an important role in his success at RIT.

“Since my first year, whether it be my peers, my professors, or the New Media Club, I could always rely on someone to help me with an assignment, with my personal life, or career-wise,” said Hampton. “Any struggle I’ve had felt very small when I looked around at all the support I had. I will forever be grateful for the community here and I really hope to be a part of it after graduation.”

One source of support Hampton found in the new media design program was Associate Professor Hye-Jin Nae. Nae met Hampton when he was a first-year student and taught him in multiple courses throughout his time at RIT. She said watching him grow from a student designer into someone fully prepared for the professional world has been meaningful.

“I’ve seen TJ grow not only as a designer, but as a person. He’s more grounded, more confident, and more comfortable trusting his own voice,” said Nae. “He is an exceptional student whose work reflects real dedication and discipline. He is deeply focused, consistently engaged, and always brings care and intention to what he does, both academically and within the student community.”

Nae added that Hampton’s recognition with a 2025-2026 Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award and a 2026 Excellence in Student Life Award is a strong reflection of Hampton’s academic work and his lasting impact on the new media design program and broader RIT community.

After four years of teaching and mentoring, Nae proudly looks forward to what Hampton will accomplish in his full-time role.

“During his two summers at Duolingo, TJ shipped four of his own designs into the app. This level of contribution is outstanding for an undergraduate intern and reflects his amazing ability. It is clear from this experience that he is ready to take on his next challenges,” she said.

After graduation, Hampton plans to spend the summer packing and relocating to Pittsburgh. He said he’s looking forward to reconnecting with family who lives in the area and exploring the city with his loved ones before he assumes his full-time role at Duolingo in August.