Michelle Roppeau, director of athletic academic advising, encourages student-athletes to excel in academic achievement, leadership and volunteer work. Roppeau herself has plenty of experience to draw from concerning the latter. She has volunteered at the Marine Mammal Center near Sausalito for eight years, working with harbor seal infants and educating visitors about the center. Roppeau has also lent a hand at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the past seven years as a volunteer guide.

Why did you get involved with volunteer work?

Some of my earliest memories are being involved with my grandmother's volunteer work with terminal cancer patients. My mom is in her late 70s and still volunteers every week at a daycare for elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. I was brought up to believe that even when we didn't have much, we still had much to give.

What is one of your more memorable experiences as a volunteer?

One of the most unique experiences I've had was playing the role of surrogate mother to a 10-day-old orphaned sea otter pup. I had to make her formula, feed her a bottle, swim her in a tiny saltwater pool and place her on a towel and groom her fur in tiny sections using a Barbie doll comb and a hair dryer. Then I began the process all over again and continued the cycle for the rest of the day.

Why is your work important to you?

I was raised in Minnesota, a state where people care deeply about natural resources and preserving the environment for future generations. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity at this stage of my life to be able to help people appreciate the magnificence of our ocean resources. • -- By Mike Sintetos