SU, Lockerbie Academy renew Lockerbie Scholarship for fall 2026
Syracuse University and Lockerbie Academy will renew the Lockerbie Scholarship program for the 2026-27 school year. The program selects two students who dedicate time to understanding Pan Am Flight 103’s SU impact and academic excellence. Meghan Hendricks | Daily Orange File Photo
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Syracuse University and Lockerbie Academy will renew their Lockerbie Scholarship in fall 2026 after previously ending the original yearlong program in September 2024, according to a Friday release.
The “reimagined initiative” will bring two Lockerbie students to SU for a full academic year, the university announced. The program will continue annually until 2028 at the earliest.
Last fall, the university announced it would no longer select two Lockerbie Scholars, instead opting for a new format bringing 10 to 12 Lockerbie Academy students to SU for an annual one-week immersion program. During the trip, visiting students will meet with current Remembrance Scholars, university leaders and city officials.
“This new and revitalized partnership with Lockerbie Academy honors the memory of those lost in the terrorist attack, while also supporting the educational aspirations of Lockerbie students,” said Lois Agnew, interim vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer, in the release.
Selected Lockerbie Academy students for the 2026-27 academic year will undergo an elevated selection process and must demonstrate academic excellence as well as a strong understanding of the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 crash’s impact on both communities, the release states.
The 2025-26 academic year will be the first time in 35 years the university has not selected two Lockerbie Scholars to be on campus for a full year.
“Our new approach preserves the program’s most cherished traditions while ensuring we bring students to campus who are prepared to fully engage with the academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities Syracuse offers,” Agnew said in the release.
The program switch brought controversy among past Lockerbie Scholars, Remembrance Scholars and others invested in the program, with over 400 people signing an open letter condemning the changes.
The university began its Lockerbie Scholarship program in 1990, following the Pan Am Flight 103 crash as a result of a terrorist bombing on board, killing 270 people, including 35 SU students, as well as 11 Lockerbie residents.
A group of 10 Lockerbie Academy students and two “sponsors” will visit SU in October 2025 for the one-week immersion trip during its annual Remembrance Week.
