This was followed by lunch and speeches and the main event that featured performing groups Odadaa! and Conehead Buddha. Also present at the event were several tents featuring free food, raffles, and advertisements for local eateries and businesses.

Communiversity began as an event to welcome students back to campus. The term was coined by Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson when she took office. "The idea of the university as part of a community and knowing that community," said Jackson

This and other upcoming events are meant to welcome freshmen to campus and to integrate the city and students into a community. Along with this, they are designed to improve the aura and atmosphere in Troy in general.

In this respect, the event has succeeded as part of a series of efforts to attain that goal. Says assistant dean for the first-year experience and organizer of the Communiversity event Cynthia Smith, "People who have been here have seen some vast improvements." Others, though optimistic, are less enthusiastic. Says forty-year Troy resident Mary Dewey, "It’s coming, but it’s going to take a while … [eventually] Troy will come back full blast."

Most of all, the event was meant to educate and "help people get enriched," says Smith. Emphasis was placed on the idea that Troy is more than bars and cheap restaurants.

Students participating in the event found it to be a good experience. One freshman remarked, "It was nice to see that the place wasn’t a dump like everyone says. It’s a nice town." , "Students can see the good parts of Troy … and you can really have fun,"said junior Sara Stein. People visiting Troy had a good time as well. Prospective freshman Tim Chan says, "It’s better than I thought. I’ll think about it."