On Friday, Oct. 29, the Regent chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) pre-law honor society held its 2010 induction ceremony.Regent Law’s Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor, Natt Gantt, served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. He prefaced his speech by relaying the idea that we, according to a recent NPR broadcast, live in an “age of mistrust” when people do not trust their governments and institutions. “How can you be an instrument of change,” he challenged the inductees, “in the attitudes toward governments and institutions?”
He went on to share that he did not decide to become a lawyer until his senior year of undergraduate studies. A psychology major, Dean Gantt was unsure as to what path to take for his graduate education. “Go where you feel like you can do the most good” were his father’s words of advice. Then, after praying about where that would be, God showed him that “You can do a lot of good in society with a law degree.”
In a nation that is inundated with lawyers it would seem that the last thing society needs is another. But, Gantt continued, “There is always room for more good lawyers, and that is what I want to encourage you with today.” He concluded his remarks by stating that “My prayer for you is that you will be good lawyers to add to the legal profession.”
The Dean’s inspirational speech was followed by the official oath taking and induction of the fraternity’s new members which include:
Lisa Bates
Stephen Gaines
Jason Hughey
Katherine Nace (Vice President)
Joelle Stephens (President)
Leah Stiles
Katherine Nace closed the ceremony by reading Ps. 119:97-99, which demonstrates, as she states, “that our foremost calling is God’s law, which enables us to practice man’s law.”
- By Molly Eccles