Their formal induction as National Pan-Hellenic Council co-chairs is not until mid-February, but Melanie Lawson and Gregory Huckstep already have plans for their new positions.

In the coming year, Lawson (sophomore-communications) would like to foster better working relationships with other student organizations.

"We are small and we don't have the opportunities to build these relationships," she said. "But NPHC feels that no matter the number of members in an organization we can still make a difference."

NPHC members need to remember they are Greek organizations as well as minority members, Lawson said.

Huckstep (junior-biology) has different goals for his term as co-chair of NPHC. During the Spring Semester, he would like to improve NPHC internal relations.

"We have to get communications flowing and get ourselves together," he said. "We need to get more people interested in what black Greek organizations are doing."

Huckstep added he had no specific methods to achieve the goals.

Huckstep and Lawson said they became interested in NPHC leadership after watching Jennifer Heasley and John Mitchell, last year's NPHC co-chairs.

"I saw the potential to make effective changes," Huckstep said.

There must be an increase in the interaction between the eight NPHC member chapters and more involvement with the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils, he said.

Lawson became involved with NPHC after she joined her own sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho, 1 Bigler.

"I wanted to help out with other fraternities and sororities, and NPHC was the way to go," she said.

Mitchell said NPHC organizations are founded on principles of community service. Many events are sponsored by individual chapters rather than by NPHC as an independent organization, he added.

"We focus on individual chapter achievement," Mitchell said. "Each organization has its own way of doing things."

Transition for NPHC began earlier this semester because Heasley left to student teach and could not complete her full term, he said.

Lawson added that she wants NPHC to be taken seriously.

"I want to be heard," she said. "I want people to understand where NPHC is coming from."