After months of preparation, Greek Week 2001 came together thanks to the leadership of a dedicated committee and general co-chairs, Lynse Briney and Lucas Van Driel.

“Lynse and Lucas are an amazing team,” said Brian Tenclinger, assistant dean of students for greek affairs.

Briney, senior in biology from Bartonville, Ill., began her involvement on campus and in the greek community her freshman year.

She has participated in activities such as Freshman Council, the STARS program, New Student Days, executive positions in her sorority and the Panhellenic Executive Council, among others.

“What hasn’t Lynse done?” Van Driel said.

Van Driel, junior in mechanical engineering from Sioux Falls, S.D., has been equally involved through positions in his fraternity, Greek Week and Interfraternity Council. After Greek Week, Van Driel plans to “kick back” and work on graduating.

“Lynse and Lucas were chosen to serve as the two key leaders because of their depth of experiences and overall strengths as leaders,” Tenclinger said. “They were chosen, as they compliment each other very well.”

The team has many important responsibilities, but the most important responsibility is to select a good steering committee, Briney said.

“We also oversee what they are doing and make sure that everything is on track and remind them of certain things that get looked over,” she said.

Briney and Van Driel spent three to four hours a week preparing for Greek Week beginning in January, Van Driel said, and four to six hours each day during Greek Week making sure everything is going as planned.

There are many positive additions and changes to Greek Week 2001 thanks to Briney and Van Driel. For the first time, there will be a campus barbecue and a comedian rather than an outdoor concert, Briney said.

“We are trying to make Greek Week more what the chapters wanted, and that was our challenge to the central committee at the very beginning,” she said. “That resulted in some of the changes.”

Van Driel said most of the tournaments were changed to co-ed this year, and the dodgeball tournament has been brought back into the week of events.

“Lynse and Lucas have opened up many new doors for the Greek Week Central members to make the changes necessary to truly showcase our greek community through athletic events, community service and philanthropic work, special receptions and luncheons, and the traditional Olympics at the tail end of the week,” Tenclinger said.

Briney said her most difficult challenge is to take a step back and “be more of an adviser rather than a doer,” she said.

Planning ahead and dealing with glitches have been the biggest challenges for Van Driel.

“If we don’t plan ahead enough, we get `fire drills,'” he said.

Both Briney and Van Driel said they are most excited for the Olympics day.

“It’s at the end of everything,” Van Driel said. “It’s a beautiful day, and everyone is having fun.”

Tenclinger said the pair have done an excellent job overseeing the entire event, and “empowering the Greek Week Central team to custom design programs and events that fit the theme `Sharing Traditions to Discover Tomorrow.'”