When Pan Am Flight 103 crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988, it claimed 270 lives, including 35 Syracuse University students. The town’s residents were quick to help rescue workers in any way possible. With the world watching, the quiet, rural area sprung into action, forging a bond with the SU community that lives on today through the Syracuse-Lockerbie Scholarship program.

Lauren Flynn, a Lockerbie native and a freshman in The College of Arts and Sciences, is one of two recipients of the Syracuse-Lockerbie Scholarship this year. Flynn was not yet born when the 747 jet exploded over her hometown. Yet, from growing up in the tragedy’s aftermath and learning of others’ experiences, Flynn said she places far more value in Lockerbie’s efforts to help the victims and their families than she does in the terrorist actions that orchestrated their deaths.

‘I don’t feel the terrorism part is the most important part of the scholarship,’ Flynn said. ‘The bombing happened and it exploded over Lockerbie, causing terrorism, but for me the people themselves are more important. The people who were affected by it, the people who helped, the rescue operations and how many people in Lockerbie got involved.’

Flynn’s presence at SU helps to commemorate both the heroes and the victims of Pan Am 103, as the scholarship program was formed in the flight’s aftermath as a response to the attack. Every year since, two students from Lockerbie have received scholarships to study at SU for a year before returning to the UK to finish their education.

Alongside freshman Kirsty Liddon, Flynn was chosen for the program from 12 students. To apply, each person wrote an essay before going through a series of interviews with Lockerbie and SU London professors. At first, Flynn said she had apprehensions about leaving her hometown of 5,000 people for Syracuse’s urban setting, but she was overcome by the honor of being selected.

‘It was a scary thought, but now that I’m here, it’s not as bad,’ she said. ‘And it’s such a prestigious thing to represent your town and represent your country in being here.’

Now, after two months, living in Syracuse has become a welcome change of pace for Flynn.

‘I’ve always got something to do here,’ she said. ‘I’m always busy. There’s always different people to talk to. At home, it’s such a small place. There’s only a few people that you talk to and there’s not much to do.’

Moving to a new setting forced Flynn to take on things out of her comfort zone, she said.

‘(Kirsty and I) did not know anybody here, so in order to be more involved in the Syracuse community, I’ve had to just go and talk to people,’ she said.

Overall, Flynn said she’s extremely pleased with how the program has benefitted her in the present while still linking her with the past.

‘Every student that’s been here from Lockerbie had a great time,’ she said. ‘They’ve learned so much, and that’s a good thing because the students that were killed were studying abroad. They were doing what I’m doing right now. So a part of me knows that when they were there in London and Florence, they were having an amazing time.’