Engineers hold date auction

Those who don’t care too much for money, ’cause money can’t buy them love, must not have… Those who don’t care too much for money, ’cause money can’t buy them love, must not have heard about Engineering Student Council’s date auction, which took place Friday night in the Benedum Auditorium.

Pitt Students – mostly engineering majors – were sold to the highest bidder to raise money for ESC’s participation in E-Week, a nationwide event for engineering students.

Not everyone in attendance was looking for love. Pitt junior Katie Fronczak, an auctionee, said she has a long-term boyfriend, and expected to be auctioned off to a friend. That was the result, last year, when her friend bid $80 for her.

“I’m just here so I don’t get drunk. I’ve got LSATs tomorrow,” said Nick Stabinsky, a junior electrical engineering major.

Brian Shamas, a Pitt sophomore, was one of several auctionees who had a strip tease in store for the audience.

Shamas, a first-timer, was dressed as a cowboy. The costume seemed to work, but the strip tease did not. Bids went to $55 before he even began to unbutton his shirt. He then removed two shirts and his chaps, unbuckled his belt, and flashed his boxers, but drew only $5 more before bidding ceased.

Though many auctionees – mostly men – shed clothes during the auction, none got nearly as far as the first participant, 22-year-old Dale Liszka, who, by the end of bidding, wore only red knee-socks and silver boxers with black stars.

Liszka pulled down the back of his boxers to reveal “#31” painted on his right cheek, and handcuffed himself to ESC Vice President Marilyn Herczeg, the female emcee.

Liszka said he drew a high bid of $8. “I feel really pitiful right now,” he said, but added, “somebody has to set the mood.”

Women generally drew the higher bids, with the largest bid of the evening coming at the end of the night’s longest bidding war. Twin freshmen Kim and Carly Patterson spent nearly 10 minutes onstage, before they were auctioned off together for $220.

Michael Hamidi drew the high bid among the men – $85 – after jiggling his pecs and pouring a coffee pot full of water over his head. Hamidi said he was placed last in the rotation because he appeared on “As the World Turns,” though he had only one line.

The junior civil engineering major also brought veteran experience to the event, participating for the third straight year. Hamidi said other auctionees approached him for advice, and he told them to “just be funny.”

Liz Culliton said she was the only non-engineering student to be auctioned off, and was hoping to bring in money for a good cause. She succeeded, to the tune of $110.

The festivities were hosted by Herczeg and James Wiltz, ESC’s director of activities.