VikramNigam

Writing2:W2PM
4/13/16

LeverageofSpecificGenresofLiteratureinGreekLife

GreeklifemeansmuchmoretoatypicalUCSBstudentthanpartiesandinitiation
ceremonies,asthefraternitiesandsororitiesatUCSBeachrepresentacollaborationof
compatibleindividualsprogressivelystrivingtowardsacommongoal.Thoughsomeofthese
groupsstrivetowardsgoalsbasedonalcoholconsumptionandgenerallackofinhibition,there
aremanyfineexamplesoffraternitiesorientedaroundcertainmajorsorinterestswithmuch
moresuccessorientedgoals.PAD,acoedprelawfraternityoncampus,seekstoadvance
professionalism,organization,andcommunicationskillsthroughitsrigorousapplication
process,aswellascamaraderie,andsocialresponsibilitythroughvariousfraternityevents.
Duringtheextensiveprocess,theapplicantisrequiredtodeveloppersonalconnectionswith
otherfratmembers,studytexts,anddemonstratetheirabilitytothriveinaprofessional
environment.Thesetrialsensurethatonlythemostliterateapplicantsareaccepted,bothin
theirabilitytostudyimportantfraternitytexts,andintheircompetenceandknowledgeinsocial
andprofessionalsituations.PADnotonlyseeksoutonlythemostsociallyandtechnically
literateapplicants,butalsoworkstodevelopthesequalitiesineachmemberthroughouttheir
fratexperiencebybringingtogetherlikemindedindividualstostrivetowardacommonstandard
ofliteracyandexcellenceandreadyingthemselvesfortherigorofafuturecareerinlaw.
ThenationalPhiAlphaDeltafraternityisoneofthemostwellrespectedprelaw
institutionsinthecountry.WithnotablealumnisuchasSupremeCourtJusticeRuthBader
Ginsburg,BillandHillaryClinton,aswellasseveralotherpresidents,membershipinPADis
consideredtobeagreatstarttoacareerinlaworgovernment.1in6lawyersinthecountryisa
cardcarryingmemberofPADandthefratboastsahighrateofalumnisuccessinthefield.With

thisnationalreputationandsuchnotablealumnicomestheresponsibilityforeachandevery
membertoupholdtheprofessionalPADimage,animagewhichfosterssuccessinthe
highpressureenvironmentoflawpractice.UCSBschapterisorganizedintoseveraltiersof
membership.Atthepinnacleoftheorganizationarethefourmostinvolvedactives,theofficers
ofthechapter,whoplayvariousadministrativeroles.Theysupportthecoreofthefrat,the
actives.Therearethemoretenuredactivesorthebigsandtheactiveswhorecentlycrossed
frompledgesorthelittles.Finally,thepledgesareatthebottomofthefoodchainhavingto
provetheirworthtotheactivesandofficers.ProficiencyinthevarioustechnicaltermsofGreek
life,orthelexiconofthisdiscoursecommunityisanimportantskillforanypledgetodevelop
andbecomessecondnaturetothetenuredactives.ThroughouttheiryearsatPADitisclearthe
eachofficercameintotheirown,developedtheirliteracy,leadership,andmaturityandtheyall
seemreadytofacelawschool,orwhicheverpaththeychoosetotakenext.
PADisauniquediscoursecommunityinthatitcreatesliteraturethroughpersonal
interactionwhilealsocirculatingliteraturetoallofitsmembers.LikemanyFraternities,Each
memberofPADispresentedwithacertainamountofinformationwhichtheymustmemorize
duringtheirpledgequarter.Unlikeotherfraternitieswhichimposearchaicloreandritualson
theiryoungmembers,PADspledgetextisnothingbutpractical.Primarily,thepledgeis
requiredtounderstandthefoundingprinciplesofthefraternityaswellastoknowdetailsabout
eachactivememberandtheoriginalfoundersofthefraternity.Theapplicantsliteracyisputto
thetestwiththislargeamountofinformation,butthetruetestoftheirliteracyistheoneonone
interviews.Possiblythemostuniqueaspectoftheapplicationprocess,theapplicanthasto
performinaprofessionalsettingandmakeagoodfirstimpression.Thisiswheremuchofthe
fratskeyliteratureisgenerated,aseachactiveispracticallyanexpertonprofessionalismand
isabletoaccuratelygaugetheliteracyofthepledge.Thisbalanceofexpertswhohave

masteredthecorevaluesofthefratandnovicememberswhoseekguidanceiskeytoa
supportiveandproductivediscoursecommunity.Eachinterviewleadstoananalysisofthe
socialandprofessionalliteracyofanindividualthroughtheeyesofsomeonewhoknowsthe
inherentvaluesofthefraternity,andprovidesgreatinsightduringthedecisionmakingprocess.
TheseinterviewnotesaswellasthePADtextcombinetoserveasacomprehensiveevaluation
oftechnicalandsocialliteracy,andassiststheactivesinchoosingpledgeswhowillcontribute
totheircommongoals.
PADheavilyemphasizessocialinteractionbetweenmembers,asevidencedbythe
seriesofinterviewsthattakeplaceinordertoscreeneachpledge.Throughcollaborationand
teamworkofhighlyliterateindividuals,PADimpactsthestudentbodyaswellasthegeneral
communityinapositiveway.Whetherofferingdiscountedpizzaslicesatafundraiseror
volunteeringasagrouptocleanupthebeach,PADmembersareconstantlyoutinour
communitytalkingtopeople,recruitingmembers,andtryingtospreadtheirvalues.Inaddition
todevelopingsocialliteracybysendingtheirmembersoutintothecommunity,PADoffersa
hostofopportunitiestogrowintotheextremeleveloftechnicalliteracyrequiredforthelaw
profession.TheseincludeLSATprepcompetitions,mocktrials,andgroupvisitstolawschools.
Thistypeofcollaborativeacademicandprofessionaladvancementfosterscompetition,
developsliteracy,andsetsahighstandardforeachmembertostretchtotheirfullpotential,
furtheringthegoalsofthefratasawhole.
ActivesofPAD,suchasBrianna,havealreadyproventhemselvesinsocialand
professionalenvironmentsmanytimesoverandnowshefocusesonlearningfrommore
experiencedactivesaswellaspassingonheracquiredskilltonewerpledges.Shehasbeen
developingherliteracyinconjunctionwiththepledgesbypreparinginsightfulinterview
questionsandparticipatinginthemanylaworientedactivitiesavailabletoPADmembers

designedtoimprovetheirlegalliteracyaswellastheircommunicationskills.Idiscussedthe
valueofthesestimulatingteambuildingexerciseswithBrianna.Whenweareworkingtogether
inthecommunityordevelopingourteamworkandcommunicationskills,wealwayswantto
representthevaluesofPADinthewayweconductourselvesinpublic,soitsgreattowatchthe
olderactivesandlearnfromthem,shenotes.Theseteambuildingactivitiesaredesignedto
provideavenueforthemoretenuredactivestoshowcasetheirliteracyandleadership,while
thepledgeshaveanopportunitytolearnfromthem.ThissupportsPADsmissionofgrowing
individualsintomatureprofessionalsreadytomoveforwardinlife,ascorevaluesandkeyskills
arepassedonfromgenerationtogenerationofbrotherandsister.
ThefirstriteofpassageforanyPADpledgeismemorizingthefratstextbutsinceGreek
lifeisfairlydiscreet,thetextisnotavailableinitsentiretytooutsiders.Inordertoanalyze
selectionsfromthetextandunderstandmoreaboutPADsgoalsandmethods,Italkedto
currentpledge,GeorgeandsecondyearactiveBrianna.Georgewasrecentlyacceptedintothe
fratandeachofPADstenuredactivesandbigswenttosurprisehimoutsidehisfrontdoorwith
thegoodnews,whichIhadtheprivilegetowitnessasIlivenextdoortohim.Amidstthe
excitementofawarmwelcomeandanewbeginning,Georgeisalreadypreparingtofacethe
seriesofinterviewswithactivesinwhichhewilldemonstratehisliteracyandhisabilitytohandle
severalnewsocialobligations.Whilediscussingthepledgeprocess,Georgeemphasizedthe
valueoftheearlytestsofliteracypresentedtoeachbid.Henoted,Studyingupontheactive
membersandthebackgroundofthefrathasgivenmeagreatideaofthemaingoalsand
valuesofthegroup,whichcanreallyeasethetransitionintoanewsocialgroup.Thewaywe
diveintothedetailsshowsourcommitmenttogrowingourprofessionalskillsandpreparesus
forsimilarchallengeslaterinourprofessionallives.Thistraditionofpassingdownthistext
emphasisesthevalueofuniformityinthefrat,aseachmemberisrequiredtohaveacore

understandingofthetext.Theabilitytonotonlyhavepreciseknowledgeoftheoriginsofthe
frat,butalsoapersonalconnectionwitheachmembercontributestoPADsagendatodevelop
holisticallyliterateactiveswiththeskillsforfuturesuccess.
ThistextplaysakeypartintheinitiationofeachPADpledgeandrepresentsagenre
whichisdifficulttodefine,butverycommonacrossseveraldiscoursecommunities.Thisgenre
isintroductoryliteratureforanewmemberofanorganization.Thefratusesthisgenrein
conjunctionwiththegenreofprofessionaloneononeinterviewsinordertoselectthebest
pledges.PADcirculatesthetexttoeachincomingpledgeandeachactivemaintainsacopyfor
reference,themostimportantpieceofliteratureinthefratsapplicationofthegenre.Thetext
consistsofamissionstatement,guidelinesandprotocolsfornewpledges,aswellasacolumn
ofnamesoffoundingmembersandchapteractivesformemorization.Millerdefinesgenreas
"typifiedrhetoricalactionsbasedinrecurrentsituations."(qtd.inDevitt14)Allofthegenres
generatedbyorcirculatedbyPADcorrespondwiththeircoregoalsandrepresentrhetorical
actionthroughdevelopingliteracy.Therecurrentsituationinthecaseoftheintroductorytext
wastheneedfornewpledgestomakethebestfirstimpressionontheactivemembersby
educatingthemselves.Therespondingrhetoricalactionisawellorganizeddocumenttoguide
newmembersandcompileallinformationtheymayneedintoonedocument.Thewell
organizeddocumentseparateseachtopicofinformationintoseparatepageswhichallowsfor
easiermentalcategorization.Thisishelpfulforthepledgesastheyareregularlyquizzedonthe
contentsofthetext,especiallythespecificnames.Thetextalsocontainsgeneralguidelinesfor
pledgeconduct,averyliteralapproachtorhetoricalaction.Forexamplewhenapledgeisasked
abouttheirpledgepin,theyarerequiredtorecitetheirfullnamefollowedbyaprepared
statementofmembershipinPAD.Thisgenreiscommoninprofessionalenvironmentsasmany
employersevaluateliteracythroughinterviewsandapplications,andPADsemploymentofthe

genreexemplifiesrhetoricalactionastheyprepareeachmemberforlifeaftercollege.This
genrehighlightsPADsdesiretounifyitsmembers,asitexcludesalargeaudiencefrom
experiencingitandputsnewmembersonevenfooting.Thegenrealsosupportsthe
developmentofprofessionalliteracyskillsineachnewpledge.Thisgenreisalsouniqueinthat
alloftheinformationpresentedisconsideredofequivalentimportance.Thisgenrerepresentsa
corepartofthepledgeprocessastheliteracydevelopedwhiledealingwiththistextfurthersthe
collectivegoalsoftheorganizationandproducesahigherstandardofPADmember.
AsPADpreparesyoungmindsfortherigorandprofessionalismoflaw,theyresemble
manyprofessionalorganizationsintheirmethodsfortestinganddevelopingliteracy.By
completelyabsorbingeachpledgeinsomeofthefundamentalrecurringgenresofafutureasa
lawyer,PADsuccessfullyleveragesliteraturetostrengthenitsvalues.Thougheachyoung
activeistestedseveralmoretimesthroughteambuildingactivitiesandcollaborativechallenges,
PADhasmanagedtoassembleaextremelyhighqualitygroupofindividualslargelyduetotheir
proficientevaluationofeachpledgesliteracy.Infact,PADisprobablyoneofthebestexamples
ofleveragingliterature,asseveralothergreekorganizationsoncampuswilldistributearchaic
loreandsongs,whichcontributestotheiralreadyambitiousgoalsinarelativelyintangibleway.
Theconcise,professionalmethodemployedbyPADisoneofthemanyreasonsPADhas
earnednationalfundingandwidespreadrespect,andtheorganizationwillbelikelytofortify
youngmindsformanyyearstocome.