ATLANTA — She was never able to cross the stage - and now, about 25 years after her passing, Georgia Tech has honored a beloved varsity cheerleader and member of the campus community with a degree.
Leanna Piver was 20 years old when she was involved in a crash. She was on her way to practice on Nov. 2, 1998, when the accident happened. She died a week later on Nov. 7.
Despite her life being cut short, many said they were personally touched by Piver's tenacity and infectious personality, according to the university. Dozens of people would visit her while she was on life support at Grady Memorial Hospital, and once her family made the difficult decision to pull her off, the Georgia Tech family held two memorial services "to accommodate the thousands of people who wanted to commemorate her life," according to a news release. One memorial was at a game, the other at a national cheerleading competition.
"You could talk to anyone, and they'd say with Leanna, where she met a stranger, she left knowing a friend," her mother said in a prepared statement.
A graduate of Parkview High School, Piver was considering her options for college when she was invited to a Zeta Tau Alpha event at Georgia Tech. That's what sealed her decision to attend the university.
Once on campus, her becoming a cheerleader was but a serendipitous event in her college experience. According to Tech, she was not planning on joining the varsity team. During a rainy night, she was wearing her Parkview High School cheerleading jacket and the cheerleading coach walked by her and invited her to try out.
She would spend her time at Tech on the football field and on the dean's list while studying business.
Remember Leanna Piver, Georgia Tech cheerleader
"The year she passed, Georgia Tech's cheerleading squad was in the top 10 programs for cheerleading, and the team came in third in nationals, which was the first time Georgia Tech had ever accomplished this," said Shelley, her sister.
November 2023 marked 25 years since Piver's passing. Come April, Piver's parents, Dave and Janet, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Trying to come up with an anniversary present, Piver's father wrote the provost of Georgia Tech to consider finally granting his daughter her bachelor of science in business administration.
"I was so moved by the story that I immediately started the process of getting Leanna approved for the posthumous degree," said Jonathan Clarke, then-interim dean for the business college.
Piver's father has also worked with the university to establish his daughter's legacy for years to come. People can now donate to the Georgia Tech Alexander-Tharpe Fund - Leanna Piver Endowment to keep her memory alive.
To read more about Piver's time at Tech, click here.
