“Francis Dunnick, come on down, you’re the next contestant on the Price is Right!” shouted the infamous Rod Roddy.

Many Americans dream about attending a taping of “The Price is Right,” but for most people, the wish is never fulfilled.

Frank Dunnick, a senior in political science, took a trip to the West Coast over spring break and went all the way — to the “Showcase Showdown,” that is.

Dunnick, his girlfriend and a couple of friends, all ISU students, headed to California to celebrate spring break.

The four woke up early on March 12 and trekked to the “Price is Right” studio at CBS Television City to watch the 1:30 p.m. taping of the popular game show. When they arrived at the studio at 6:30 a.m., they joined the crowd and were told how contestants were chosen.

“They run the whole line of audience members through the producer or assistant producer, and you have 10 seconds to say whatever,” Dunnick said.

One person waiting in line advised him to be energetic. Sporting his ISU shirt, he “screamed at the producers and told them ‘I want to be the next Rod Roddy.’ They told me to calm down,” he said.

“We went into the studio, my heart started pounding, and I got all excited. Out comes Rod Roddy and everyone started clapping,” he said.

And then the rowdy Rod made Dunnick’s trip — he called his name.

Dunnick said he almost had a fit and was overcome with joy. After his second bid, in which he guessed closest to the price of an item, Dunnick shared the stage with Bob Barker and the ever-popular “Barker’s Beauties.”

His fate behind the famous sliding door was the “Pick Two” game. Dunnick was given a price, shown four items and told to choose the two items that added up to a certain dollar amount.

Dunnick said a woman in the front row screamed out two items — he picked those two items and won. Dunnick was then seated next to the stage, where he waited to get his chance to spin “the wheel.”

He was the second contestant to spin in the first half of the show and earned the highest dollar amount on his spin.

After a brief respite, he was off to the “Showcase Showdown.”

His opponent in the showdown had the option of passing or bidding on the first showcase they were shown.

She passed it to Dunnick and he was told to make a bid.

“You totally go by the crowd,” he said. “You can’t think by yourself.”

Dunnick bid $25,000 on his showcase, which was actually valued at $17,000.

Dunnick said his girlfriend, Daniela Williams, a junior in management information systems, claims she was screaming $17,000.

“It was an experience that you can’t buy. It was pretty exciting,” Williams said.

In the end, Dunnick was sent to a back office where he signed a prize disclaimer and received an autographed picture of Bob Barker, which he prizes the most, he said.

Overall Dunnick won a telescope, a dinette set, a jewelry vanity, a silver coffee and tea service and a home gym.

Dunnick’s show will air on April 16 at 10 a.m. on CBS.

“The Price is Right” is taped twice a day during nine months of the year.