Remembrance Scholar hopes to uphold Pan Am Flight 103 victim’s legacy
Jacqueline Page’s Remembrance pin is her most prized possession
This week at Syracuse University marks Remembrance Week, a series of events that brings the campus community together to honor the 270 lives lost on Pan Am Flight 103. In 1988, 35 SU students study abroad were killed in a terrorist bombing.
To memorialize these students, each year 35 seniors are chosen as Remembrance Scholars, recipients of a prestigious scholarship for those who reflect determination, academic excellence, and community engagement of those lost on Pan Am Flight 103. The Tab had the opportunity to speak with 2017 Remembrance Scholar Jacqueline Page.
Jacqueline represents Timothy Michael Cardwell, a fellow ROTC cadet. who lost his life in the terrorist bombing. Both Page and Cardwell studied abroad in London, major in television, radio, and film, and have nontraditional military majors.
"I feel strongly about Pan Am Flight 103," she told The Tab. During her time abroad in London, she played club lacrosse, and one of her teammates was from Lockerbie, Scotland. The attack that took 35 SU lives 29 years ago took place in Lockerbie. This connection, though unexpected, inspired Page to apply to be a Remembrance Scholar
"You never know unless you try," Jacqueline said.
While being selected to be a Remembrance Scholar is an honor in its own right, Page said the Remembrance pin is her most prized possession. "It [being selected as a scholar] is the utmost honor," she said.
Looking back at the devastating event is easy, she said, "but acting forward is going to come from personal courage [like] standing up to racism and discrimination."
After graduation, Page intends on getting a full-time job in the military. In mid-November, she finds out what branch she'll be placed in. It is clear her passion for ROTC is disreputable. "I want to pave the way to break down preconceived notions about being in the military," she said.
An accomplished student, Page excels both in and outside the classroom. Her civic engagement and academic achievements, while characteristic of every Remembrance Scholar, are not what define her. Every scholar is unique and has different pursuits. For Page, it is ROTC that drives her to look back and act forward.