And now, thanks to his wish, granted in collaboration with Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) and with generous support from a local donor with an affinity for the arts, the teen will be further on his way to pursuing art as a career. 

Nate, who was diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma in 2023 and is now cancer free, sees art as being vital to his recovery. “Art is essential to me. Often in my life, art has been a lifesaver. I always have a sketchbook with me to draw whatever comes to mind. I am convinced that my sketchbook and pencils saved me during the six months I had to undergo chemo …I was at Dana-Farber most of the week. Putting my mind elsewhere than in an infusion room was crucial. And I survived." 

Nate wished to have tuition support for a summer course at MassArt and will be attending the Pre-College Summer Studios program for students in grades 11-12 who are considering higher education in the visual arts. The four-week intensive experience focuses students on art making and critical thinking to develop the practice and skills required to achieve excellence in their artistic endeavors and produce work for their portfolios. 

This spring, Nate and his family gathered on the MassArt campus with MassArt leadership as well as members of the Make-A-Wish team to celebrate his wish. Nate delivered his tuition check to the college’s business office before touring parts of the school with Liz Reiser, Director of Youth Programs; Austin Harvey, Youth Programs Coordinator; and 2012 MassArt graduate Ben Jundanian, who is a local mural artist and Make-A-Wish supporter. 

Nate was then invited to the President’s Office for a reception and special congratulations from President of MassArt Dr. Mary K. Grant. During the celebration, Dr. Grant and her colleagues presented Nate with MassArt gifts and supplies.  

Nate loves to sketch, paint, and sculpt. “People tell me I am a talented artist. If I enjoy making art and others enjoy viewing it, then that's what I'd like to do in life." Nate has participated in MassArt courses for youth occasionally throughout his elementary and high school years, and it was there at the school among fellow artists that he felt a true sense of belonging for the first time in his life. 
 
Through the Pre-College Summer Studios program, Nate is most looking forward to learning new and more techniques. As for future goals, Nate hopes to attend MassArt for college. 

“We are very thankful to Make-A-Wish for enabling Nate to experience MassArt; it’s been his dream since primary school to not only practice new skills, but share in a like-minded student community,” said his parents, Ron and Hélène. “And how lucky we are to have such incredible resources locally like Make-A-Wish and MassArt, as well as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital where Nate was treated.”  

“MassArt is a public art and design college, and our mission is to make art and design accessible to all,” remarked President Grant. “I am so thrilled that we, in partnership with Make-A-Wish, are able to help Nate pursue his passion. He is part of our incredibly caring and dedicated community of students, faculty, and alumni, who will continue to support and uplift him as he prepares for this next exciting chapter.” 
 
In addition to his parents, his older sister, Juliette—and his sister Sarah, unable to attend but joining in spirit—participating in the celebration for Nate were two of his educators from Arlington High School: art teacher Annmarie Rebola-Thompson, and Deedee Cummins, Nate’s special education social worker. Making the trip from Maine to be present was Nate’s preschool teacher, Martine Goldberg, whom the family credits as the person who first discovered Nate’s artistic potential all those years ago. Nate’s Make-A-Wish volunteers who helped to plan his wish, Kate Buckley of Billerica and Brianna LeConti of Dracut, were on-hand as well. 

“A wish can mean so many different things to a child, and this one is a celebration of Nate, his creativity, and the way he embraces art as an outlet during his most difficult days,” said Amy Carroll, Vice President of Mission Delivery for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “This wish is a continuation of Nate’s journey as an artist and a bridge to help him move to the next stage. We’ve loved getting to know Nate and partnering with MassArt and so many others in our Make-A-Wish community to fulfill his wish.” 

Supporter Spotlight: Ben Jundanian, Artist

Ben Jundanian, a muralist, illustrator, and educator, has partnered with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island to provide interactive art for guests to participate in at our organization's special events. Ben learned of Nate’s wish and was moved by his resiliency and his passion for art. He attended the teen’s wish celebration in May at MassArt, during which he extended a special invitation to Nate to join him on a mural project to learn a new medium: spray paint.

“Being a working artist is already an uphill battle, so when Make-A-Wish asked me if I wanted to be there for Nate’s wish-granting ceremony, I jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with someone as resilient as Nate! I can't wait to see how he adapts to the challenge of using a completely new set of tools to create a mural this summer,” shared Ben at the wish celebration. 

In July, Nate joined Ben in Northbridge, MA, to assist Ben as he installed an original mural for the town at Plummer Park Skate Park. The mural project was sponsored by Northbridge Playground & Recreation Committee and Ben saw it as a unique opportunity—a “wish perk”—for the two artists to collaborate as Nate anticipates the start of his MassArt summer course.