Madeleine Coles
Co-Editor in Chief and News Editor
If the intricate symbiosis between a university and the town it calls home can be seen as a relationship, CommUniversity is its couples counselor. CommUniversity, a committee made up of university representatives and community leaders and businesses, has been dedicated to, as the name suggests, bringing together the Pocatello community and ISU.
They do this through two events they hold annually. The first, Welcome Back Orange and Black, is held in the fall and gives new students a chance to interact with local businesses. The second is Celebrate Idaho State, which invites members of the Pocatello community to campus to learn about and celebrate ISU.
The eighth annual Celebrate Idaho State Event will be held Feb. 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Pond Student Union Building.
Over the years, CommUniversity committee members have focused on making Celebrate Idaho State a more interactive event that offers multiple activities for families and children. Two years ago, the committee decided to make the event themed and have since also worked on putting together a more interactive event.
This year, attendees can make slime, play with robots, sing karaoke and eat a free baked potato bar. There will also be a coloring contest for children and the opportunity to score a lot of free stuff including t-shirts and basketball and movie tickets.
According to the CommUniversity committee, the event will feature more than 100 booths from areas all around ISU including a variety of different majors and departments as well as sports teams and clubs. The event is marketed as a way for community members to experience the atmosphere and people of ISU and interact with the university that is a part of their town.
“The Pocatello community is very generous and supportive to ISU, and this event is one way ISU can give back to our community,” Valerie Davids, co-chair of the event, told the marketing and communications department. “Idaho State has so many wonderful opportunities, this event gives the community a chance to interact with some of our fantastic departments and programs.”
The event is free and open to the public as well as any ISU students.
