Being a mom of 400 girls
Photo: Sophia Aiello
Sororities. Student-ran organizations of girls who come together to share a sisterhood founded on a shared set of values. Since 1882, sororities have expanded across the country with an increased membership. The Pi Chapter of Chi Omega can be found at 2630 Ann Baker Furrow Blvd, right here at the University of Tennessee. This mansion that houses 42 of its 400 members is overlooked and kept running by one person - Terri Hamman.
The 2023-2024 school year marks Hamman’s first official year as house mom at Chi O. Before coming to the South, she served as a house mom at California Polytechnic (“Cal Poly”) State University for Kappa Kappa Gamma.
After her daughter moved out of the house, Hamman would have never guessed she’d be moving into a house with dozens of college-aged girls. She originally became a house mom in California to be close with one of her best friends who is also her sorority sister. She saw the opportunity and decided to take the chance.
“When I told my sisters [that I was going to become a house mom], they went ‘You?’” Hamman said. “They said, ‘Well, you’re going to know everything they’re going to try to get away with.’ I had a lot of fun in college. They told me I would be the best house mom ever.”
She was ready for change and already knew a little bit of what being a house mom would entail. Hamman lived in her own sorority house at Iowa State for over 4 years. She remembers the house mom being old and wise, admitting now that she probably wasn’t even that old.
“The university system at Cal Poly is different,” Hamman said. “The size of Greek life is the same, but there are only 2 house moms with 16 sororities. There was not a lot of camaraderie.”
With her first year as a house mom happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamman felt that many of the girls she looked over did not share a real connection like she once experienced when she was an active member.
“They didn’t really know how to act as sisters and didn’t want me there,” Hamman said. “It took 3 years for them to understand that sisterhood is for a lifetime... By the time I left, I could see a change and the unity- what sisterhood is all about.”
Before finding her home at Chi O, Hamman was looking at sororities in Texas and Tennessee. She knew that SEC schools had a stronger and more traditional Greek life that she wanted to gravitate towards. Once coming to Tennessee, she realized how supportive the Greek system was here.
“The exchange of information with Greek life and the university overall was very different and helpful, especially being new,” Hamman said.
Once August arrives each year, a new group of girls move in. The 2023 new group of girls were excited yet nervous to meet who they would also be living with, as this was Hamman’s first introduction to the chapter as house mom.
“I remember when we all met her for the first time,” Ainsley Bell said. “I was relieved once I realized how nice she was. I think we all were scared that we would have a super strict new house mom.”
After getting situated and aiding all the members during recruitment before school officially started, Hamman was ready to work her magic. The duties of a house mom range from state to state and house to house. Another big difference is held in time.
When Hamman lived in her sorority house, her house mom was responsible for teaching the girls manners. Now, the house mom position is more of a facility manager. She oversees the house and makes sure that everything works and gets the proper attention it needs.
“I have the role of making sure all the girls are happy!” Hamman said. “I make it feel like this is their home and for them to know they can come to me, like if they are feeling sick. A lot of the girls also know I keep a sewing basket. Anything that they would go to their actual mom for.”
There are a lot of responsibilities that come with the job. She makes sure that all the rooms are clean and everything is placed where they should be. She contacts handymen when things need to be repaired, such as the showers and heating. Although she is always on the go, she prioritizes making the house feel comfortable for her girls. When events happen at the house, Hamman helps to make space to accommodate.
Alongside Hamman is a house director, an in-house girl who takes on duties of working closely with the house mom, chef, House Corp., and the Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life. This year’s house director is Shea Frans.
“I work with Terri on planning and approving events, relaying messages to the chapter, and making sure rules are followed,” Frans said.
Frans is the closest member of the chapter with Hamman due to her position. Hamman makes sure to connect with everyone as she is constantly seeing the girls around the house. For special occasions like holidays and finals, Hamman even makes treats for the girls who pass by her room.
“My favorite thing about being here at Chi O is that the girls are so respectful to each other and to me and to anyone on the property,” Hamman said. “The ‘yes ma’ams’ made me cry the first few weeks but hearing all the ‘byes,’ ‘love you,’ ‘see you’ – it’s an atmosphere that I love here.”
Starting a new life is hard, especially when you combine it with moving to the South, living with 42 college girls and taking care of a mansion. Terri Hamman stepped up and has worked hard through her first semester in Knoxville, providing Chi Omega sisters another mother away from home.
