Kansas State University

People attending Kansas State University's 17th annual Travel and Dining Auction will munch on nachos and desserts as they bid on the exotic and the practical -- all to benefit students in hospitality management and dietetics.

The auction, planned and executed by students, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Manhattan Conference Center adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door.

More than 200 lots will be up for bidding. Items include a Powercat fire pit, Jordy Nelson-signed football, 2012 Big 12 champs-signed football, Disney World day passes and more than 100 gift cards. Bottles of wine, hotel night stays, restaurant certificates, rounds of golf, handcrafted items, professional services and an abundant number of K-State hats, flags, and home decor are among other silent auction offerings.

The live auction begins at 8 p.m.

All items have been donated by merchants, faculty, alumni and friends of the department of hospitality management and dietetics and the College of Human Ecology. Students hope to sell 400 tickets to break the current record of 378.

"This major endeavor allows the students to see the nuts and bolts of event planning and all the details needed to make an event like this a success, and then get their hands busy and produce the event," said Nancy Hansen, hospitality management instructor who works with the students.

The shared goal is to keep the spirit of the action alive and unique and to add a new twist each year to engage the attendees and keep them coming back to a "fresh" event, Hansen said. This year the food includes a nacho bar and a pasta bar. A variety of desserts, passed appetizers, wine and nonalcoholic beverages remain on the menu. The popular cakewalk and grab bag activities continue this year.

The area travel package raffle includes Wichita and Kansas City destinations.

Hard-working students who have a passion for event planning or think they want to be event planners apply to take Hansen's three-hour credit auction course. The leaders of the coordinating team are usually past auction students who are taking the course for a second time.

Students develop and plan every detail of the event.

"It takes a special student to be part of the action," Hansen said. "They have to be very dedicated to be successful. Many hours outside the classroom are spent to get donations, sell tickets, and work out the logistics of each area of the evening's activities."

She said that students have about two and one-half months to understand the process and put their knowledge to work and accomplish the event tasks. Events of this magnitude are usually executed by professionals who do this on a full-time basis. The students must do it while juggling their regular class loads, work schedules and activities.

The auction generates funding for scholarships and four student groups: Hospitality Management Society, Professional Convention Meeting Association, Club Managers of America and Student Dietetics Association.

More information is available at http://www.k-statetda.com/.