It has been 38 years since the bombing of Pan Am 103, and the 2026-27 Remembrance Scholars and Lockerbie Fellows will be leading Syracuse University’s annual Remembrance Week.
On Dec. 21, 1988, a bomb exploded on the airplane over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 259 people onboard, including 35 students returning from study abroad programs through Syracuse University’s Division of International Programs Abroad (now Syracuse Abroad). The bombing also took the lives of 11 Lockerbie residents and destroyed multiple homes, plunging the Lockerbie and Syracuse University communities into deep mourning.
In the years since the bombing, Syracuse University has taken its grief and put it towards a purpose. Since 1990, the University has paid tribute to the victims and their families through its Remembrance Scholarship program, one of the highest honors awarded to a Syracuse University student.
According to the Syracuse University Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising, 35 Syracuse University seniors are chosen based on community impact, leadership, creativity and thoughtful academic inquiry.
Each student is awarded a $5,000 Remembrance Scholarship and is given the honor to teach the Orange community about Pan Am 103.
From Sunday, Oct. 18 through Saturday, Oct. 24, Remembrance Scholars will also be joined by the 10 Lockerbie Fellows and two teachers from Lockerbie Academy for the week. They will represent the Lockerbie residents who died and 2002-03 Lockerbie Scholar Andrew McClune, who died in 2002 during his scholarship year at Syracuse University.
Events Happening During Remembrance Week
Now that you’ve learned about the significance behind the Remembrance Scholars and Lockerbie Fellows, you might be wondering how you can participate in Remembrance Week and what you might see on campus. Here’s a list of important highlights from Remembrance Week:
All Week
Pan Am 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives temporary exhibit: A temporary exhibit from materials from the Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives collection will be on display at Bird Library’s first-floor display.
Sunday, Oct. 18
Remembrance Week: Candlelight Vigil (5 p.m.): Remembrance Week starts with a Candlelight Vigil on the steps of Hendricks Chapel. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available. The event will also be livestreamed.
Wednesday, Oct. 21
Remembrance Week: Sitting in Solidarity (2-2:40 p.m.): The Remembrance Scholars and Lockerbie Fellows will sit in the empty chairs on the Quad for 35 minutes for the “Sitting in Solidarity” tribute to the 35 students who lost their lives in the bombing. The Lockerbie Fellows will also sit to remember the residents they lost.
Remembrance Week: Film Screening (6:30-8:30 p.m.): The first installment of the Netflix drama series, “The Bombing of Pan Am 103,” will be presented and shown in 107 Hall of Languages. A warning: some scenes from the series may be distressing to see.
Thursday, Oct. 22
Remembrance Week: Act Forward Symposium (6-7 p.m.): As part of their community outreach, the Remembrance Scholars will present posters on their Act Forward projects in the lobby of the Heroy Geology Laboratory. A yearlong project, it focuses on outreach, research, education and creative projects that will benefit the community.
Remembrance Week: Lockerbie Fellows Presentation (7-8 p.m.): After the Act Forward Symposium, the Lockerbie Fellows will share their experiences and reflect on the bombing’s impact on their hometown in the Heroy Geology Building Auditorium.
Friday, Oct. 23
Remembrance Week: Rose-Laying Ceremony (2-2:40 p.m.): Roses will be placed at the Wall of Remembrance by the Scholars to pay tribute to the 270 people who lost their lives. The event will be livestreamed on the Hendricks Chapel YouTube channel, and ASL interpretation will be available.
Remembrance Week: Remembrance Scholar Convocation (3-4:30 p.m.): The Remembrance Scholars and Lockerbie Fellows will be honored for their achievements at Hendricks Chapel. Pen-and-ink drawings of the 35 students who died will be on display in the Chapel. If you are unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed.
For more information on the Remembrance Scholar program, the Lockerbie Fellows or Remembrance Week, visit Syracuse University Today.