Kennedy Lawrence
At 7 a.m., Connie Wilson places a spread of jams, English muffins and cereal across the table, then boils a fresh pot of coffee for her 65 sons.
By 8 a.m., dozens of college students grab breakfast – some coming back from a 4-mile run at ROTC training and others heading to their desk jobs in suits.
While she doesn’t have to prepare breakfast each morning, Wilson, born in the 1940s, feels it is her responsibility as the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house mom at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“They all like me because otherwise, they wouldn’t get fed,” Wilson joked.
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Wilson, who grew up in Tobias, Nebraska, has been Delta Tau Delta’s house mom for over 10 years. She is among 17 fraternity house moms at UNL. UNL requires that each chapter with an on-campus house must have a house mom, as the age of adulthood in Nebraska is 19.
Each chapter picks its house mom, who then typically lives in the chapter house, receiving meals and a salary. They help with day-to-day tasks, offer advice and serve as a parental figure.
“They’re kind of a symbol of hospitality, order and care, which are some of the things that Greek chapters are definitely trying to promote, especially within their houses,” said UNL’s Intrafraternity Council president Maxwell Hamill, who is from Sheldon, Iowa.
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Each day looks different for Wilson.
“It’s like your mom at home,” Wilson said. “You do whatever kind of pops up.”
Most recently, Wilson worked with repairmen to fix the house’s broken heater. While students are in classes, she lets workers in and runs the house.
Wilson is also in constant communication with the kitchen staff.
“(The chef) tells me what she’s not happy with. The guys tell me what they’re not happy with, and then I try to troubleshoot it,” Wilson said.
Wilson also spends time in the dining room getting to know the men. Aside from setting out breakfast, she eats every meal with them, listening to them share their high school stories or discuss work.
“Then, if something does come up, I have some kind of gauge on if this is typical or atypical or whatever,” Wilson said.
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Wilson is merely the liaison if she finds something abnormal. President Nate Poole leads an executive team of eight members with whom Wilson communicates.
“She and I talk all the time,” said Poole, a biochemistry major from Omaha.
While Wilson may suggest changes to Poole and the executive team, she doesn’t discipline the men or alter the fraternity’s structure. Wilson also keeps to the first floor.
“I don’t go walking the floors,” Wilson said. “I stay on the first floor as another (form of) privacy, so if I think there might be something, then I contact somebody to check it out.”
Wilson allows the men lots of space and doesn’t hover. She lets small annoyances like clutter and noise roll off her back.
“I’m here to have their backs and make sure that they’re happy and things are going okay,” Wilson said. “And if not, I see if I can do something about it.”
However, the situation is different when it comes to bullying or harassment within the chapter.
“That is my line in the sand, and I do not compromise on that one,” Wilson said. “I can put up with the noise. I can put up with the house not being as nice as I would like. I won’t put up with that.”
Wilson’s friend of 10 years, Polly Feis, from Franklin, Nebraska, said that Wilson has one more line she won’t cross.
“I think she has a lot of patience. Unless they take her parking place, then it runs out,” Feis joked.
