“I thought of Alex’s family and how their lives were forever altered. … 28 years later and the hurt is still there,” Tara said. “Jamie representing Alex is a very meaningful honor, and not just because I went to Syracuse with Alex, but because Jamie really is the perfect match to represent him.”
“It is surreal. This is really huge to have this personal connection that I didn’t know existed, especially to something that is such a special recognition to receive,” Clayton said. “I will be able to hold on to that for the rest of my life — not only as a scholar, but after I graduate too.”
Remembrance Scholars use pop-up museum to showcase Pan Am Flight 103 history
The idea of the pop-up museum was to bring some items from the Pan Am Flight 103 archives out to help educate the SU community on the terrorist attack, said Sarah Whittaker, a Remembrance Scholar and a senior communication sciences disorders and marketing management double major. The pop-up museum focuses on the history of the tragedy while the rest of the week will pivot to highlight and honor the victims, she said.
But for some Remembrance Scholars, representing one of the 35 can be easier said than done because some of the students lost in Pan Am Flight 103 do not have collections in their name in the archives. A collection is made in a student’s name when that student’s loved ones donate personal effects to the archives, whether it be photographs, poems or sweaters.
Rose Laying Ceremony commemorates the lives lost in Pan Am Flight 103
At 2:03 p.m., the bells inside Crouse College’s Bell Tower tolled to signify the exact time Pan Am Flight 103 exploded on Dec. 21, 1988 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The bombing killed all 259 people aboard the plane — including 35 SU students — as well as 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie.
Gallery: Rose Laying Ceremony honors victims of Pan Am Flight 103 bombing
2016 Remembrance Week Ceremonies in Photos
Remembering the victims of the Pan Am 103 Flight at Syracuse University
Katie’s uncle was also a sophomore when he was killed during the attack and that is part of the reason why she chose Syracuse University. She wanted to finish the journey that her uncle once started, saying this gives her a special connection to her uncle Steve, who she never got to meet.
Syracuse University Student Continues Uncle’s Legacy
“The whole motto of the remembrance week is to look back and act forward,” Katie said. “You celebrate their lives; you don’t feel sad about it. You use the celebration of their life to change the way that you are.”
Pan Am Flight 103 victims remembered with rose laying ceremony
“You do feel a little bit sad, but you get to keep their memory going through the Syracuse community and through the other communities as well,” a Remembrance Scholar said. “I think its important not only to mourn their loss but also celebrate their lives.”
