“Take it off,” a crowd of 300 students shouted to Arab Student Association President Jad Ibrahim.

“Your sweater, take it off!”

Ibrahim was one of 18 students who participated in a date auction at the Michigan League Ballroom last night.

Bringing in $625 for Project Suyana — a organization that aims to improve health care and reduce poverty in Puno, Peru — a date with Ibrahim fetched the highest bid last night.

The Hollywood-themed event was hosted by Comco, a student comedy group. The University’s Bhangra team performed, along with the Harmonettes a capella group and Groove, a percussion group.

The auction raised $5,200. The second-highest bid went to Michigan Student Assembly President Sabrina Shingwani. Michigan hockey captain Chris Summers auctioned off a hockey lesson for $340.

In addition to auctions, the group sold 50-50 raffle tickets and beaded necklaces. The person who purchased the most necklaces was auctioned off at the end of night.

Last night’s event was Project Suyana’s third date auction in as many years to raise money for the group’s efforts in Peru.

Project Suyana manager Grace Liu said the funds raised by the auction this year will be going toward constructing a shelter for expectant mothers in the rural Andean regions.

“The shelter, called a Casa de Estar, will accommodate high-risk women prior to their scheduled delivery date to provide adequate gynecologic and obstetric care during labor, thereby attempting to address the alarmingly high infant and mother mortality rates,” Liu said.

Project Suyana member Reda Jaber said he decided to host the date auction in 2006 as a fundraiser because the group wanted an event that would appeal to a wide group of students.

“Most other events rely on selling tickets as their main source of revenue,” he said. “With a date auction, we not only sell tickets, but we make thousands of dollars during the actual event.”

Liu said she was proud many different student groups were represented.

“The students who were auctioned off come from different graduate and undergraduate campuses at the University and represent a wide spectrum of cultural, social and academic backgrounds, and performance groups,” Liu said. “The Bhangra team, the Harmonettes and Groove represent great artistic diversity as well.”

Jaber said the students who were auctioned off were selected by contacting leaders of the various student organizations.

Many of the students auctioned off didn’t know what to expect but said they were excited to participate to raise money for Project Suyana.

“I'm absolutely willing and happy to participate,” auctionee Maya Aravind said. “From what I understand, the auction has been very successful in the past and it's also one of the more creative and hopefully entertaining ways to fundraise.”

The actual dinner date will consist of a meal sponsored by Noodles & Company, Quickie Burger or Cosi.

In years past, the date auction has been able to raise about $5,000 each year. About 250 students attended the first year and more than 450 students last year.