Alpha Phi sorority said goodbye to one of its members Sunday when Courtney Keevican died in a car accident while returning home from Penn State.

Keevican, 23 of the Pittsburgh suburb Fox Chapel, graduated in December with a degree in educational rehabilitation.

Friends said she was visiting Penn State for last weekend's Blue-White game.

Keevican was a teacher in Wilkinsburg. Manuella Barbosa, Keevican's former roommate and a fellow sorority member, said Keevican liked to work with children and always had a smile on her face.

"She was the kind of person no one would say anything bad about," Barbosa said. "She was the sweetest girl I've ever met."

Barbosa lived with Keevican when they were undergraduates.

She said she couldn't sum up the kind of person Keevican was in one experience.

"She was one of six girls who lived with us, and I was with her every day," Barbosa said. "We were lucky to spend that much time with her."

Barbosa said she was shocked to realize how many people called her apartment after Keevican died.

"I never realized how many people knew what kind of person she was," Barbosa said. "The phone didn't stop ringing [the next day] until after midnight."

Katie Thomas said Keevican was like her big sister.

Thomas said Keevican was one of the reasons she joined Alpha Phi.

They often went on vacation together, and Thomas said Keevican had a huge heart.

"She was really supportive," Thomas said.

"If you had a problem, we would just leave for the weekend and deal with it."

Thomas said Keevican was an independent and strong-willed person with a lot of goals.

"She made every situation fun," Thomas said. "She was very optimistic, and no matter who you were, she would help and support you."

Natasha McBroom, another former roommate and sorority member, said she remembered Keevican's ability to lift up everyone around her.

"I was a mess," McBroom said. "But I was reminded of how she put a smile on everyone's face. She was so flamboyantly herself all the time, and lifted everyone else up. I can smile right now because I can remember that."

McBroom said everyone who knew Keevican will never be the same after her death.

"I don't think I can ever go back to Penn State," McBroom said.

"I know Courtney wouldn't want it that way, but every memory I have there is with her."