Melissa Beth Evans, 21, Auburn, died Saturday morning at Kansas University Hospital after she was severely injured in a two-vehicle accident Friday morning. The accident occurred at 7:20 a.m. on Interstate 70 near the east Lawrence interchange.

According to the Kansas Turnpike Authority, she was eastbound when she accelerated her Jeep to highway speed, lost control of the vehicle and spun out into the left lane in front of a semitrailer. The semitrailer struck her vehicle and pushed it into the south ditch into a light pole.

Evans graduated from Kansas University in May with bachelor’s degrees in history and Latin American studies. She was an honors student, was among 150 students to earn a Global Awareness Program certification and was a student employee at University Relations for several years.