Parmi Nous, Lion's Paw, Skull and Bones.

These are the three senior honorary societies at Penn State -- better known as secret societies.

I am a former active member of Parmi Nous and Lion's Paw. Active membership in Lion's Paw is only extended to an individual for one year, and I chose to give up my active membership in Parmi Nous to allow someone else the opportunity to experience something that greatly enriched my life.

One of the foremost rules in The Daily Collegian's Code of Ethics is that no one working for the Collegian may be a member of senior honorary societies. To a certain degree, I believe this rule is just. I am a journalism major. I'd like to think that a double dip in Professor John Sanchez's Comm 409 (News Media Ethics) class has taught me the importance of ethically-sound journalism.

Such is the reasoning behind writing this column.

These three societies were the subject of a recent Town and Student magazine article. While the article portrayed a fairly accurate image of these groups, it also managed to publish several names of people with membership in these groups -- including me.

This is no secret.

My name, along with my picture, was published in La Vie last year, as is customary of those leaving the society. My name was also published in a Collegian advertisement from the Lion's Paw Alumni Association recognizing the exiting members of the 2003 class. Furthermore, I have always answered the "society question" whenever someone chose to ask me about my membership.

I have nothing to hide, and I never have.

The justification of the societies keeping their membership secret is embedded deep within the history of the university. Until the late-1960s and early-1970s, these societies were not secret in the least -- they actively and publicly led the student body. The combination of the counterculture movement and the dramatic increase in enrollment caused these groups to go underground and become secret. Too many people wanted to be recognized for what they did for this university or hated those who were. Ironically, the very search for recognition is the quickest way not to be recognized, while the expression of hate often comes from the want to be recognized.

If you should still wonder why secret societies remain secret today, simply take the elevator to the second floor of the HUB, walk into any office and say the words "secret society." You will notice nearly every head in the room snap so fast that you might be able to hear the whiplash set in. There are many within leadership circles that are obsessed with the notion of secret societies. This is an obsession that will never be quenched.

Societies rightfully have their critics. Many believe that societies hamper progress within organizations. Others believe that societies create a false motivation, as individuals go for positions for résumé and recognition purposes rather than to lead and make change. But these people will always exist, secret societies or not.

Make no mistake about it, there are many individuals within the university that deserve the recognition of these groups. Some might receive this recognition in the future; others may never. Unfortunately, the process of selection is bound by the constraints of numbers and connectivity.

While these criticisms may be well placed, they are only superceded by the benefit this university receives at the hands of these groups. Tradition and pride are perpetuated and disseminated throughout every sector of the university community by these groups.

While they are not perfect, I can find no human enterprise that is.

When the initial invitation was offered to me in fall 2001, I was skeptical. Elitism and secrecy were -- and still are -- two things I regarded as evil and contradictory to a free society. I was not going to accept my bid, except for a morbid journalistic curiosity and the wise advice of two people for whom I have the deepest respect.

Instead of finding fiendish plots to take over the world, I found fellowship and support through the toughest times of my life.

Ominous meetings, where the fate of the university was supposed to be determined, gave way instead to planning sessions for events that would institute pride among us all at Penn State. There were no sinister plans to surreptitiously undermine the student agenda or its rightfully elected leaders. There was no scheme to impose the will of the administration upon the student body.

The only thing societies took over were the bars. We became the closest of friends through bonds of trust, pride and desire to make the university better for students.

Of course, my opinion is incredibly subjective. But is that not the nature of opinion? I have done my best to steer clear of any issue that might relate to my involvement in societies at Penn State. I have written this piece in response to those who believe I am an agent acting out the will of those who have given me cars, beautiful women, law school acceptance and $1 million in my bank account. I'm not that person.

I still ride my bike, women will always be my primary source of stress, law school isn't for me and my bank account still has a balance of 16 cents.

Most importantly, though, I am still an individual with opinions and insight that have formed throughout my experiences as a student leader at Penn State -- not necessarily from my secret experiences.