A 17-year-old Pepeʻekeo teen living with leukemia is preparing to begin his first semester at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo after Make-A-Wish® Â鶹´«Ã½ and the university celebrated his wish for college tuition assistance.
During a special wish reveal on the UH Hilo campus on July 22, Rancin presented a $10,000 check from Make-A-Wish Hawaii to the university’s cashier’s office, taking an inspiring step toward his future. Rancin was recently accepted into a new pre-engineering pathway between UH Hilo and UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹, where students begin their engineering studies at the Hilo campus before transferring to ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ to complete a bachelor’s degree.
“We are so honored to welcome Rancin into our Vulcan ʻohana. His resilience, curiosity, and unwavering determination perfectly embody the spirit of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo,” said UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin. “It is our privilege to play a part in his journey, and we look forward to supporting him every step of the way as he strives for success in our pre-engineering program and beyond.”