SPILed State Secrets Among Many Lures for Guests at 2013 Fundraising Auction
Not everyone gets a chance to enjoy a private dinner with a man who is the former director of both the CIA and the National Security Agency.
But Catholic University law students got their shot at it, and they didn’t have to break a code or follow a series of “dead drops” to an undisclosed location for the privilege.
A personal dinner with retired United States Air Force four-star general Michael Hayden, who was once the highest ranking military intelligence officer in the nation, was among a number of interesting and unusual items up for bid this year at the Columbus School of Law’s 22nd annual fundraising auction to support Students for Public Interest Law (SPIL), held at the law school on Feb. 8.The four-hour event raised $40,500, money that will be matched by a law school contribution for a total of more than $90,000. The funds will provide up to 26 summer stipends to CUA Law students who elect to take low-paying public service positions in 2013. The amount of money raised exceeds the previous year's total by $2,000.
A five day silent auction in the law school’s atrium preceded the live bidding on Friday evening. There was an impressive array of donated items and services up for the highest bidder including: artwork, restaurant outings, meals served at home by professors, dinner with a National Public Radio correspondent, Caribbean vacations, and a sailboat ride with Dean Suzette Malveaux and Professor Sarah Duggin, among many other choices.The live bidding was ably handled by energetic auctioneer Professor Mary Leary (at podium above) who is a hit with the SPIL auction’s crowded mix of student and alumni guests year after year.
Second-year students Alexandra Jenik and Holly Vandegrift served as co-chairs of the 2013 SPIL auction.
“These two students did a tremendous job of organizing, planning, and soliciting donations,” said David Schrock, the law school’s director of financial aid and the staff advisor for the event. “Their hard work will permit the highest-ever number of their classmates to accept public service positions this summer to work on behalf of others.”