Sometimes, it's money well spent, if the fee isn't too high. My alma mater paid Barbara Bush to come speak at graduation one year. They dovetailed it into a very successful fund-raising campaign. Mrs. Bush apparently enjoyed the school and the small town where it's at, because she said something to Jim Baker, who called the college President and dropped in one day for coffee. Baker then spearheaded a drive to build a wellness center on campus. For a small school, it's a very nice facility.
