K-School Auction Raises $35,000

At $7,000, lunch with the Rev. Jesse Jackson attracted the highest bid at the Kennedy School of Government's eighth annual Student Internship Fund Auction, held last Thursday.

The event took in more than $35,000, a new record and $5,000 more than its goal, according to Judy Kugel, director of career services at the Kennedy School.

The school will match the first $20,000 the auction raised.

The proceeds of the auction go to fund summer internships for first-year Kennedy School students at agencies that otherwise could not afford their services.

All of the items at the live auction and nearly all at the silent auction were purchased, Kugel said.

"I was thrilled with the outcome," Kugel said. "It wasn't just the money. Somehow, there was this great energy that had never been there before, and with a good turn-out of students, faculty, staff and alums, it was such a community event."

Guest auctioneers for the live auction included Dean of the Kennedy School Joseph S. Nye and Professor of Public Policy Gary R. Orren.

More than 360 bidders participated, said Elizabeth M. Bailey, a member of the student committee that planned the event.

"The event itself was wonderful," Bailey said. "I could not have predicted the turnout that we got and the bids that were put up."

In addition to lunch with Jackson, big-ticket items included lunch with former senator Bob Dole, lunch with former Clinton adviser George Stephanopolous, a weekend on Martha's Vineyard and a two-week vacation in Turkey. A plaid shirt signed by Lamar Alexander went for $125.

In total, the 30 items up for bid in the live auction collected about $25,000, Kugel said.

Services donated by Kennedy School students, such as golf and pool lessons, were also auctioned.

"The auction allows students to be creative and to offer a side of themselves that they are not usually able to express," Bailey said. "It is also very important because it makes it possible for many students to do jobs worthy of being done."