One of the highest leadership honors a University of Michigan student-athlete can receive is to be selected by her or his peers as a member of the university's Advisory Board on Intercollegiate Athletics (ABIA). Two years ago, Carla Bezold applied for the position and was selected by members of the Student-Athletic Advisory Council's Executive Board and ABIA representatives to serve as one of only two student-athletes on the committee. Besides the two student-athletes (who each serve a two-year term), the AIBA includes several members of the faculty, Michigan's associate athletic directors, and its chair, Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin. "It's a terrific honor. I consider myself really lucky to have this opportunity," Carla says. The AIBA meets once a month to discuss and advise the Athletic Department on issues relating to current and future NCAA, Big Ten, and University of Michigan policies concerning student-athletes and other matters pertaining to the Athletic Department. Carla explains, "as a student-athlete competing in an Olympic sport [rather than a revenue sport such as football], the discussions about policy are fascinating. I've learned a lot about how the Athletic Department and the NCAA work." Michigan Rowing is proud to have one of its co-captains serve on the AIBA.

Coxswain Laura Dunn and co-captain Ashley Jones serve on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), essentially the student government of Michigan's Athletic Department. Dunn (the team representative) and Jones (rowing's alternate representative), along with other members of SAAC, together serve as the voice of Michigan student-athletes with the university's Athletic Department, the Big Ten Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. SAAC meets twice each month to discuss issues relevant to Michigan student-athletes and the Athletic Department, and they also plan events and facilitate student-athlete engagement in the community. Some examples include Thursday night visits to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Mock Rock (SAAC's annual fundraiser for Mott), the Pen Pal Program, MSHARE (a reading and tutorial program with local schools), and Blue Crew Events (teams supporting other teams during competitions). Recently, SAAC successfully proposed that the Athletic Department's Ross Academic Center's hours be extended to midnight instead of 10:00 pm and that it be open on Saturdays. "The bottom line," Laura explains, "is that we strive to make the experience of the University if Michigan easier for student-athletes, and provide student-athletes more opportunities to excel in their sport and also in the university and local communities."