University Announces 2025-26 Remembrance Scholars

Thirty-five students have been chosen as the 2025-26 Syracuse University Remembrance Scholars.

The scholarships, now in their 36th year, were founded as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the students studying in London and Florence through Syracuse University who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Those students were among the 270 people who perished in the bombing. The scholarships are funded through an endowment supported by gifts from alumni, friends, parents and corporations.

Significant support for the Remembrance Scholarships has been provided by Jean Thompson ’66 and Syracuse University Life Trustee Richard L. Thompson G’67 in memory of Jean Taylor Phelan Terry ’43 and John F. Phelan, Jean Thompson’s parents; by Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Steven Barnes ’82 and Deborah Barnes; by The Syracuse Association of Zeta Psi in memory of Alexander Lowenstein; and by the Fred L. Emerson Foundation.

Selection Process

Remembrance Scholars are chosen in their junior year through a competitive selection process. Applicants submitted an essay and a reflective response in multimedia, artistic, musical or written format as part of a comprehensive application. The application evaluation committee is composed of University faculty and staff and current Remembrance Scholars. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded on the basis of community impact, leadership, creativity and thoughtful academic inquiry.

“Remembrance Scholars, through their academic achievements, leadership and contributions to the campus and local communities, exemplify what a Syracuse University education has to offer and represent the promise of the students for whom these scholarships are named,” says Lois Agnew, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer. “We are proud to recognize their accomplishments.”

The Remembrance Scholars plan the Remembrance activities held at the University each year, and the cohort will be recognized during a convocation in the fall.

The 2025-26 Remembrance Scholars, their hometowns, majors and schools and colleges are the following:

• Ellie Allen of Newton, Massachusetts, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jacqueline Arbogast of Warwick, New York, a television, radio and film major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications;
• Rohan Bangalore of Sterling, Virginia, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School;
• Caiyan Bass of Aurora, Colorado, a communication sciences and disorders major in A&S;
• Michael Capous of Wantagh, New York, a nutrition science major (pre-med track) in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics;
• Belinda Chan of Brooklyn, New York, a social work major in the Falk College;
• Tommy DaSilva of Newark, Delaware, a public health major in the Falk College; a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, and a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School;
• Nick Dekaney of Syracuse, New York, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Ava Downey of Newport Beach, California, a linguistics major in A&S, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Leah Farrell of New Milford, Connecticut, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Abbey Fitzpatrick of Pacific Grove, California, a history and political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Olivia Fried of Clinton Corners, New York, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S and magazine, news and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Tanishka Gajula of Chicago, Illinois, a biology major (pre-med track) in A&S;
• Olutoyin Green, of Long Island, New York, a health humanities and political philosophy major in A&S, a law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Alani Henderson of Syracuse, New York, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a law, society and policy major the Maxwell School;
• Nico Horning of El Dorado Hills, California, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Wafiq Khondkar of New Hyde Park, New York, a biotechnology and philosophy major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Edward Lu of Robbinsville, New Jersey, a music composition major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA);
• Joy Mao, of Cary, North Carolina, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a television, radio and film major in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Valeria Martinez-Gutierrez of Laredo, Texas, a geography and sociology major in the Maxwell School and A&S; an environment, sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• German Nolivos of Miami, Florida, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a public relations major in the Newhouse School;
• Luiza Owour of Kisumu, Kenya, a biomedical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS);
• Marc Pantano of Newington, Connecticut, a marketing and supply chain management major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management;
• Annaliese Pillitteri of Babylon, New York, a film major in VPA;
• Savion Pollard of Queens, New York, an electrical engineering major in ECS and a U.S. Navy veteran;
• Zachary Setzkorn of Overland Park, Kansas, a geography and history major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a social studies education major in the Maxwell School and School of Education, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Ethan Shavelson of Parkland, Florida, an acting major in VPA;
• Taylor Stubitsch of Arlington Heights, Illinois, a biochemistry and forensic science major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Candace Tabb of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, a civil engineering major in ECS;
• Nathan Torabi, of Visalia, California, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S; a citizenship and civic engagement and law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jacquelyn Trotman of Edison, New Jersey, a retail management major in the Whitman School, an advertising major (creative track) in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Anya Von Wolff of San Francisco, California, a fashion design major in VPA;
• Logan Wagner of Great Falls, Virginia, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S, an environmental sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School and a history of music and cultures major in A&S;
• Gillian Weltman of Rochester, New York, a communications sciences and disorders and neuroscience major in A&S; and
• Ethan Yankey of Roseau, Dominica, a design studies major in VPA.