Angel Busath, 49, ate a dinner on the lawn during the family fun fair. Partygoers could purchase everything from hot dogs to gourmet roasted meat and pineapple.

"This is great," said Busath. "I've been planning on coming here for weeks."

It wasn't just the party she was waiting for, though. Busath, who lives a few blocks from UVU, was excited for her hometown school to be a university.

"It's not going to be 'little BYU' anymore," she said. "It may take awhile, but it's going to stand on its own two feet."

Some partygoers speculated that the school's status change will attract more business and boost the economy.

"It's a great thing for the whole valley," said Lynda Slater, who lives in Orem. "It will make it a better place to live. It will open doors for local students."

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E-mail: estuart@desnews.com<