Fergus Barrie
Fergus Barrie of Lockerbie, Scotland, came to Syracuse University in 2011 as a Lockerbie Scholar, part of the unique yearlong educational and cultural exchange that developed after the Pan Am 103 bombing. After that year, Barrie chose to continue his education at Syracuse. He is now a senior, majoring in sport management in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, and is a 2014-15 Remembrance Scholar. Barrie is currently the manager for the Syracuse Men’s Soccer team, and did an internship with the Glasgow Rangers soccer team in Scotland this past summer, assisting with the generation and implementation of the team’s brand initiatives.
This week, Barrie will join his fellow Remembrance Scholars in honoring the 35 Syracuse students and 235 others, including 11 residents of Lockerbie, who were lost on Dec. 21, 1988.
Q: What was your Lockerbie Scholar experience (2011-12) like?
A: My first year at a Syracuse as a Lockerbie Scholar is an experience that I will never forget. I came into the whole thing not really knowing what to expect, but I couldn’t have hoped for a better scenario.
Q: Why did you stay in Syracuse to continue your education?
A: I have never really been able to put my finger on what exactly it was, but I just love the American way of life, and the school spirit and atmosphere on campus. I just really enjoy being at the school and feel really comfortable here. I also knew that the opportunity to study at such a prestigious American university may never come around again so I grabbed it with both hands.
Q: You are studying sport management in the Falk College. How did you decide on that major?
A: I knew that I wanted to do something to do with marketing/advertising but didn’t know exactly what. I consulted with (Professor Larry) Doc Mason, who was a great support to me during my freshman year and in my decision to stay on at Syracuse, and we came up with a couple of ideas. One of my friends was a sport management major and has only good things to say about the program. I applied to the school the next semester after speaking with Professor Rick Burton and Professor Michael Veley, and was successfully admitted into the program in my junior year.
Q: You are the manager of the Syracuse men’s soccer team and completed an internship in Scotland this summer. How are these enhancing the education you are getting?
A: I started to work with Coach (Ian) McIntyre and the rest of the men’s soccer coaching staff a couple of years ago. The first few months I just helped out at training and games, but then soon worked my way up to spearheading the marketing with another coach and designing all of our promotions, both online and in print. I really enjoy working with the team. The players are a really great group who are all dedicated to improving, and it’s been a real pleasure to watch them develop. One of the nice things about being with the soccer team is the amount of people from other countries who are on the team/staff. The majority of our team is composed of Europeans and Canadians, but we also have a good amount of local players. It’s nice to be around people that have had similar backgrounds as you, and can relate to being far away from home.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I am not 100 percent sure what I would like to do after graduation. For now, I am leaning towards staying in the United States and working with soccer/marketing in some capacity.
Q: You came to Syracuse as a Lockerbie Scholar and will graduate as a Remembrance Scholar. How would you sum up your Syracuse University experience?
A: It is crazy to think that I started here four years ago; it has flown by! I owe a lot to many people at Syracuse, too many to name! There have been many things that have clicked into place that allowed me to stay and also thrive in such a great environment.
To graduate as a Remembrance Scholar is an honor, which I never dreamt that I could receive. I have been lucky enough to know the Remembrance Scholars for the past four years now. Each of them brings something different to the table, but all are uniquely brilliant in their own right. To be considered a member of that group is an honor not only for me, but for the people of Lockerbie. It’s great to see that even 26 years on, Syracuse still remembers not only their students, but all who were lost in the Pan Am 103 tragedy.
