And this week Jodie Noble, Beth Corrie, Caitlin Colville, Callum Kingstree, Sian McLaughlin, Shona Beattie and Kath Malone were interviewed by the Lockerbie Syracuse Trust, chaired by Annandale North Councillor Stephen Thompson.
The super seven will take part in a separate videolink interview with the London-based Syracuse staff soon to help determine who will be selected to study at New York’s Syracuse University.
The Trust will then meet next week to consider the feedback from all the candidate interviews, application forms and references and will announce which two students will become the 2016/17 scholars next Friday.
DNG Media got the low down on the candidates this week. Missing from interview; Kath Malone.
BETH CORRIE
FORMER Miss Lochmaben Beth Corrie wants to represent her school, family and community at Syracuse next year.
Calling the scholarship ‘a once in a life time’ experience, she said: “All the applicants deserve this scholarship for many different reasons, but I believe I deserve it because it has always been a dream of mine to travel but study obviously came first.
“Syracuse would give me the chance to merge these two into one amazing opportunity.”
Beth, 17, hopes to be a primary teacher in the future.
CAITLIN COLVILLE
EIGHTTEEN-year-old Caitlin Colville hopes to study law at Syracuse.
The aspiring lawyer wants to use the opportunity to gain experience on another country’s legal system.
She said: “I think Syracuse would be a great opportunity to not only grow as a self sufficient person, but also to be able to experience a different university system.”
When asked why she thinks she deserves the scholarship, she added: “I don’t believe that anyone deserves the scholarship more than anyone else. All of the candidates are amazing.”
CALLUM KINGSTREE
FUTURE chemical engineer Callum Kingstree believes the Syracuse Scholarship is an opportunity not be missed.
He said: “Having been involved in the inaugural Remembrance ceremony at Lockerbie Academy laying roses, I feel that mirroring this on the other side of the Atlantic would feel even more special in connecting the communities.
“I feel this could help me to improve the ceremony here also after experiencing both.”
Callum, 17, also feels his role as Head Boy of Lockerbie Academy has helped him learn more about the Lockerbie community, knowledge he can share at Syracuse University.
SIAN McLAUGHLIN
TRAVEL keen Sian McLaughlin wants to travel the world, starting with a year at Syracuse University. She said: “It is amazing to think that I could not only study abroad for a year, but study abroad as a representative of those who died in my hometown during the disaster; the scholarship is unique because of this. “Having grown up in Lockerbie, Lockerbie’s Syracuse hopefuls it is far more personal than any other scholarship I can imagine – it really is an exclusive opportunity and I would love to embrace it.” The 17-year-old English hopes to study English and drama at Syracuse.
SHONA BEATTIE
SHONA, 17, hopes being selected as a Syracuse scholar will help make her dream of becoming an architect a reality.
She said: “I want to be a Syracuse scholar because it would be an honour to be trusted with the role and the responsibilities which come with it, and of course because it is a once in a life opportunity which I feel like I could get so much from.
“A year at Syracuse would be a great chance to learn and grow and I think that the responsibility of representing the Lockerbie disaster, the victims and its relevance to this day would really help me to mature, learn lessons and make memories which would remain with me for life.”
JODIE NOBLE
JODIE believes that her school pride sets her out from the crowd of Syracuse nominees.
She said: “I would benefit from a year at Syracuse as having spoken to previous scholars I can see the educational benefits of a year at Syracuse. Also having this on my resume would be a unique and positive asset. “I cannot wait to have the chance to represent Lockerbie Academy and the town through my hard working, responsible and reliable ethic.” Jodie, 17, is planning a career as a nurse.
