Andrea Hilario and Spencer Pangrac to marry
West Milford. Andrea Hilario will also be commissioned as a second lieutenant later this month from the United States Air Force Academy, the first time a service academy class has graduated this early since World War II.
Colorado /
| 06 Apr 2020 | 04:18
Rufino and Vicky Hilario of West Milford are proud to announce the engagement of their youngest daughter Andrea Elizabeth Hilario to Second Lieutenant Spencer James Pangrac of Schertz, Texas.
They are also proud to announce that she will be graduating and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant from the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) on April 18 — more than a month early.
Andrea and Spencer met as cadets at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.
2nd. Lt. Pangrac is a 2019 graduate of the Academy and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering specializing in hypersonics. He is currently attending pilot training to fly for the Air Force.
Andrea is a biology major set to graduate and commission this April; the original graduation date for the USAFA Class of 2020 was scheduled for May 28 but was moved ahead. It will be the first time a U.S. service academy has graduated a class ahead of schedule since World War II.
Hilario recently received multiple acceptances to top tier research institutions to pursue graduate studies, including acceptances from Columbia University, Johns Hopkins and Vanderbilt.
Since graduating from West Milford Township High School in 2016, Hilario has spearheaded research on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security and USAFA Center of Innovation as part of a Cadet Summer Research Program and academic independent study. According to an article released by the Academy, Hilario identified a gap in existing analyses of toxin exposure in combat veterans and combat environments this past summer. Her work involves the integration of artificial intelligence with personalized medicine testing to develop new methodology in the data collection and analysis of toxin exposures.
Andrea is the Secretary for the USAFA Class of 2020. She is also the lead soprano and president of the Academy’s oldest club and premier choral organization, the Cadet Chorale.
Back in September she earned her Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings.”
She thanks all her friends, family, the West Milford VFW, American Legion and Lions Club, as well as all her former teachers and track and cross country coaches.