Wichita State President John Bardo has advice for anyone bidding during silent auctions.

“Bid high and often, and don’t outbid yourself,” he said Saturday at the Rockin’ the Roundhouse fundraising event for the WSU Alumni Association at Koch Arena.

Bardo said he and his wife Deborah bid on a few items themselves.

“We bid on some Shocker jewelry and a couple of chairs …that have been painted black and gold,” he said.

It was their first Rockin’ the Roundhouse event to attend as WSU president and first lady.

WSU graduate Denis Dieker didn’t say if he used Bardo’s advice or another method for bidding at the silent auction.

“I have a strategy. I have a strategy that works,” he said without elaborating.

Dieker said he hired several “Buy a Bidder” WSU students for $20 each. The “bidders” hover over specific auction items and add $5, the minimum bid increase, when a competitor makes a bid.

“It’s just easier. I don’t have to screw with it,” he said.

WSU junior Kara Cornwell is a “Bidder.”

“If someone comes up and says ‘I want to spend $500 on an item’ we watch that item until they reach that point or win,” she said.

When a maximum bid is reached, Cornwell said the paid bidder asks the bidder what to do.

“Some ask to come to talk to them. Some say don’t worry about it,” she said.

She said about 15 of 40 available paid bidders were hired Saturday. They also picked up the bid sheets the second the bidding time expired.

Dieker said he bid $500 each on three items: a photograph of a WSU baseball crowd with his daughter in it; a Dave Stahlworth photograph; and a stone Wu Shocker table. He said he might go more than $500.

Dieker could not be found at the end of the night to ascertain if he outbid the other bidders for the items he wanted.

WSU graduate David Mitchell did get what he wanted for the sixth year in a row. It is the “Coach of the Game” item that gives the top bidder the opportunity to be in the locker room with WSU basketball coach Gregg Marshall during halftime and other access opportunities.

He had a strategy, too.

“Hang back until the end; have your pin in hand and don’t be shy and muscle in the last 30 seconds,” Mitchell said.

WSU computer engineering senior Laura Calhoun said she does not have a complex strategy.

“I’m a diehard Shocker fan, so I’m bidding on anything Shocker,” she said. “I spent $20 on glasses because they have Wu on it.”

Jonathan Ronnfeldt will graduate from WSU in May with a criminal justice degree. He said he looks at the value of an item before bidding. He is interested in sports-related activity items, specifically golf. He wants to play private courses.

“It’s a goal in life I just haven’t accomplished,” he said.

Ronnfeldt said he might pay $75 to $80 for a round of golf, but admitted it he might go as high as $200.

“It might even go up further than that,” he said.

Deb Welta, a 1977 WSU nursing graduate, puts a limit on how much she will spend.

“When I think it’s worth $100, I’ll start out at $75,” she said.

Welta said she might bid up to $125, if she thinks it’s worth it. She looked for hotel deals in Kansas City and other places.

Minda Bretz, a 15-year WSU employee in the controller’s office, said she has bought items in the past and was looking for more items this year.

“I have an autographed baseball from last year. I have different purses, magnets (and) sweatshirts,” she said.

The price has to be right for the item, Bretz said.

Melissa Dimeo works at Kansas Kids at Gear Up in Brennan Hall.

“I like the girly things—spa packages and jewelry, and I love the Rolling Stones guitar,” she said. “We kept going back every 15 minutes and place another bid. Many people stand close to the object that they are bidding on.”

The evening featured a live auction, too.

Of the 16 items, two were autographed Rolling Stones guitars. One received the top bid of $5,500 and the other fetched $4,100. A dinner with basketball coach Gregg Marshall and his wife reached $8,500 before the bidding stopped.

The live auction was held on the floor of Koch Arena.

Final tallies of the auctions were not available by press time Sunday.