Syracuse University, Lockerbie Academy Reimagine Partnership, Strengthen Bond

Syracuse University and Lockerbie Academy are renewing and strengthening their longstanding partnership through a reimagined initiative that will bring Lockerbie students to Syracuse for a full academic year. This enhanced program deepens the bond between the two communities, forged in the aftermath of the Pan Am Flight 103 terrorist attack on Dec. 21, 1988, which claimed 270 lives—including 35 Syracuse University students studying abroad in London and Florence.

Beginning in the Fall 2026 semester, two students from Lockerbie Academy will be selected each year to receive the Lockerbie Scholarship. Recipients will be chosen by a joint committee of Syracuse University and Lockerbie Academy representatives, using elevated selection criteria based on rigorous academic standards. The selected students will demonstrate academic excellence and a deep understanding of the Pan Am Flight 103 tragedy, which continues to shape both communities.

“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,” says Lois Agnew, interim vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer. “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.”

Brian Asher, headteacher at Lockerbie Academy, says: “Syracuse University has, since the terrible events of Dec. 21, 1988, held a special place in the heart of Lockerbie. We re-forge our bond in honor of all those who were lost that night. We act forward in their memory. I am excited to work with our Syracuse University colleagues on behalf of the Academy as we build on our shared past, towards a shared future.”

The University and Lockerbie Academy anticipate the renewed collaboration will continue through at least 2028, aligning with the 40th anniversary of the Lockerbie Scholarship Program and its enduring impact on both communities.

Although there will be no Lockerbie Scholars on campus during the 2025-26 academic year, Syracuse will welcome a group of 10 students and two sponsors from Lockerbie Academy in October 2025 for Remembrance Week.

“Their visit will both commemorate Remembrance Week and celebrate the strong and ongoing bond between Lockerbie and Syracuse University,” Agnew says.