Alumni Highlight: Duong Hong, Visual Designer

It hasn’t even been a year since I graduated, yet the past year has still been bountiful with plenty of lessons. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for the journey that led me to my current role as a Visual Designer at Voodies. Quite frankly, I started as an intern. But because of my questionable goals of ambition that strayed away from the can-I-actually-do-this-is-it-too-much mentality and leaned more into the I’m-going-to-make-this-work mentality, I was asked to lead the Visual Design team for the rebrand.

Voodies is a startup that is redefining the space with how restaurants and the foodie community can get connected. Because Voodies is a startup, it generally has a lot of unique challenges and opportunities. Unlike structured corporate settings, startups move fast and quickly evolve in need and priority because of several things. This includes the structure of the company itself, which gave a lot of leeway for our initial small team to evolve with the needs of the company.

I have always considered myself a self-starter and able to navigate ambiguity, but this was a whole other level as I had to wear a lot of hats to figure out what was needed from me and my team for our official launch happening this April. Whether it was creating branding guidelines from the ground, iterating on UI/UX decisions, or collaborating with other teams that have never done design, I had to stay flexible while ensuring that design remained a key player in shaping Voodies’ identity.

This early part of my career, although still really undetermined, I have no doubt has been a great experience. I get to work closely with programming and UI/UX directly, and every single project has been something new I get to touch on. I think that what keeps me in the space is the fact that the work that I am doing right now doesn’t just support a product but defines its entire experience.

To be honest, I share the sentiment with many others that you may never feel like your portfolio is “successful” or “done” and that it will always be a work in progress. Even now, I’m redoing it! Just as you evolve as a person, your design experience, aesthetics, and priorities will also evolve, reflecting how you want to present yourself in your portfolio.

I think what is important to me in my portfolio has just been making sure I have been showing what work resonates with me. I don’t want to just show that I can do design work for XYZ company and can do XYZ work, but I want to show that I love to engage in spaces where I can bring the community together.

I’ve always been passionate about community service and uplifting those around me, so stepping into design work with UW’s First Year Programs felt like a natural fit. It allowed me to combine creativity with impact, helping new students navigate their first year while honing my skills in marketing and design.

From there, I started recognizing patterns in the kind of work I was most passionate about. Whether in education, health, or now at Voodies, I found myself gravitating toward roles where design is more than just visual- it’s functional, engaging, and meaningful. Each opportunity built on the last, helping me refine both my skills and my understanding of what kind of designer I wanted to be.

My time at UW has shaped me tremendously! The community I’ve built with my fellow Huskies is something I know I’ll look back on for the rest of my life. The friendships, collaborations, and shared experiences have played a huge role in shaping not just my career but also my mindset.

One piece of advice I’d give is to be open and say yes to opportunities. Some of the best experiences come from stepping outside your comfort zone. Whether through internships, side projects, or leadership roles. Growth doesn’t come from waiting until you feel like the “right” person for something; it comes from rising to the occasion and pushing yourself to see what you’re capable of.

That mentality has carried me far, even when I’ve faced imposter syndrome or moments of doubt. Everyone, no matter who they are, feels uncertain at times, but what matters is how you choose to move forward. If you focus on learning, adapting, and showing up for challenges, you’ll always keep growing.

If I could go back, even though it hasn’t been long, I’d remind myself that no one has it all figured out, and that’s okay. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to plan every step of your career, but some of the best opportunities come unexpectedly.

I’d also tell myself to trust my abilities more. There were times I hesitated, wondering if I was “ready” for certain opportunities. But the truth is, growth happens in the process. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to be willing to learn, adapt, and put yourself out there.

Finally, I’d remind myself to embrace the journey. College and the early stages of a career are all about exploration. Every project, internship, or collaboration brings value, even if it’s not immediately clear. The key is to stay open and keep moving forward. After all, even when I entered UW, Design wasn’t even something I knew about; I only came to learn about it after a rejection from the Foster School of Business. Looking back at it now, I wouldn’t trade Design for anything else. Always take rejection as redirection.

I’m actively trying to apply my own advice, but I also recognize what a privilege it is to be in this stage of life- figuring things out. Having the freedom to be uncertain about what I want means I’m open to endless possibilities, and that in itself is something to appreciate. Instead of rushing to have everything figured out, I want to appreciate the freedom to explore, learn, and grow.