By Steven Broyles

Summer 2025 – Addis Roblero’s path to architecture has been years in the making. Introduced to the field as early as elementary school, Addis knew from a young age that design would be part of her future. By the end of high school, she was already competing in architecture competitions and participating in mentorship programs to explore the field further. Today, she is a second-year architecture student at Kennesaw State University, working toward her Bachelor of Architecture degree, with an expected graduation in May 2029.

Addis’s summer internship at Hill Foley Rossi gave her an opportunity to see how her passion for architecture translates into professional practice. What stood out most was the firm’s approach to mentorship. “The most unexpected part of working at HFR, I would say, is the guidance and patience they have,” she shared. “Usually, when starting out somewhere new and in such a professional setting, you’re scared of making mistakes. But with HFR’s team, they guided you through problems, helped you master technical skills, and even gave you real-life experiences such as how to handle client-like scenarios, or researching life and safety codes.”

Beyond the technical side of the work, Addis appreciated how much HFR encouraged both professional and academic growth. “While gaining the all-important experience of learning how to work in the real world, they also emphasize mastering the basics—like how to think like an architect, design with confidence, and strengthen your sketching skills,” she said.

This hands-on exposure only deepened Addis’s commitment to her chosen path. “I’ve always been committed to learning about architecture, and HFR has provided a great exposure to the career,” she explained. “It has given me real-world experience and has only made me more passionate about what I’m studying.”

For future interns, Addis emphasized the variety of experiences that come with an HFR internship. “Expect to learn a lot about how to think like an architect, how to handle design challenges, and how to familiarize yourself with different sectors of a project,” she said. “You may not know everything, but being teachable and willing to learn a skill is valuable everywhere you go. HFR did a great job guiding me through challenges and showing me every step of the design process—from the proposal to the grand opening of a building. Along the way, I strengthened skills like teamwork, overcoming design challenges, and mastering technical programs like Revit, AutoCAD, and Bluebeam.”

At the end of her internship, Addis expressed deep gratitude for the mentorship and experience she received. “I am very grateful for this role and will cherish the experience, mentorship, and skills the HFR team has taught me,” she said.