Scholarship ensures Briana Carruth's legacy lives on

A scholarship has been created honoring Briana Carruth, a Piedmont Technical College (PTC) graduate who died last year after a courageous battle against cancer.

The Briana J. Carruth Memorial Scholarship is available to students in PTC’s Criminal Justice program. Selection is based on academic achievement and financial need.

Brandi Carruth said she is gratified that the scholarship will enable her daughter’s legacy to live on.

“She enjoyed the criminal justice program,” Brandi Carruth said. “It just makes us happy knowing that this scholarship can help another student excel.”

After graduating from Greenwood High School, Briana Carruth began taking her core classes at PTC in the fall of 2018. She eventually settled on pursuing a career as a victim’s advocate because of her commitment to helping others during their time of need.

Carruth had to pause her studies in February 2021 when a knot on the bottom of her right foot was diagnosed as a rare and aggressive form of cancer known as synovial sarcoma. She made the difficult decision to have her right leg amputated below the knee.

While the surgery initially appeared to be successful, Carruth’s cancer reappeared a few months later. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, she resumed her studies in the fall of 2021. Her cancer went away and then returned in 2022, leading to more chemotherapy. But the physical ordeal didn’t stop Carruth from earning an associate degree in Criminal Justice.

“When she got sick, she didn’t stop. I offered her extensions, and she wouldn’t take them,” said PTC Criminal Justice instructor Courtney Smith. “Even when she had her leg amputated, she kept going. She stayed positive. She was never down.”
Smith described Carruth as a “once-in-a-lifetime student.”

“The passion she had, when someone is dealing with trauma, their passion and energy is drained. But I was able to see that spark of passion, that drove her, and it was a sign of incredible resilience to move beyond her struggles,” he said. “It made me a better professor, to see that strength within her and the determination and perseverance. That is what I will continue to remember about her.”

Carruth died Sept. 5, 2023. A few weeks later, PTC’s Criminal Justice Program faculty posthumously honored her with the Top Distinguished Student Award, which was presented to Carruth’s parents.

For more information about Briana J. Carruth Memorial Scholarship, visit https://www.ptc.edu/cost-financial-aid/types-aid-scholarships/foundation-scholarships.