When some students go off to college, it can be hard for them to leave home.
But for Baker University fraternity and sorority members, their chapter houses can transform into a home away from home.
What can really add to this feeling of being home is the presence of a motherly figure in the form of a house director.
Since the beginning of the semester, two greek chapters have hired new house directors for their chapter houses.
Sophomore Bryce Bowers said Zeta Chi fraternity knew its current house director was going to leave about a year ago, so the chapter members started the process of hiring a new director in February.
The fraternity announced Tuesday the chapter’s members hired Melinda Hippel, who works as a clerk at Baldwin City’s Kwik Shop, as the new house mom.
“I am very excited, we are all very excited about it,” Bowers said. “We’re all really anxious to get started under a new house director’s leadership, and to work on the new process and just see how everything shakes out.”
Delta Delta Delta sorority has also recently hired a new house director.
After learning Penny Allen, Delta Delta Delta’s previous house mom, would be unable to return this semester, the sorority’s house corporation began the process of finding and hiring a new house director in December. After about a month of finding and interviewing candidates, the house corporation hired Donna Gallagher.
“I was just here visiting family and … I said, ‘I’ll put my name in,’ and here I am,” Gallagher said.
Gallagher’s husband, who is a colonel in the army, is currently deployed in Afghanistan.
“I’m just very fortunate that (the position) opened up at a time where I am able to do this, because it’s quite the adventure,” she said.
Gallagher said what she enjoys most about being a house mom is getting to interact with the women in the sorority.
“There’s more to the job as a house director than just the home,” she said. “It’s the relationship that you have with the ladies that live here. … It’s like being a teacher, a mentor and a safety net. … If something comes up, they’ll know I’ll be there for them, with no judgments passed.”
Delta Delta Delta President Kassie Miskho has loved having Gallagher as a house mom.
“She’s very driven in what she does,” Miskho said. “Since she’s been here, she really loves all of us and she cares for all of us and you can tell that she loves Tri-Delta. … I think she’s having a lot of fun with it.”
Even though her position began in mid-January, Gallagher is only going to be Delta Delta Delta’s house mom for the rest of the semester. Miskho said the sorority will once again go through the process of finding and hiring a house mom during the summer.
“We love her as a house mom, so it’s going to be sad to see her leave, even just after a semester,” Miskho said. “She’s a lot of fun and we like her. Hopefully we’ll get a house mom that will be just as good as her.”