At 74, Beverly Feldmann said she believes her life has been going backward.
Not attending school until later in her life, Feldmann lived in Europe for five years with her children. Eventually, she decided to return to the United States in order to study.
She attended the College of DuPage, where she received a degree in massage therapy.
During this period, she never considered becoming a sorority sister. She said didn’t think she would want to be until she became a house director and saw how close the community was.
“It’s a bond that I don’t think you have elsewhere like you do here,” Feldmann said.
On March 5, Feldmann was initiated into the Alpha Mu chapter of Alpha Chi Omega, officially making her a sister. This was a decision made by the Alpha Chi governing board, Alpha Chi president Claire McElwain said.
For about five years, Feldmann said she served as the house director for Alpha Chi.
A house director, also known as a “house mom,” is a woman who lives within the chapter, McElwain said. The house mom monitors events and behaviors within the chapter for safety purposes.
Even though she grew up in Bloomington, Feldmann said she traveled to many places throughout her life. Before moving back to her hometown to be closer to family, she was living in Arizona with her retired husband, who had Alzheimer’s disease and was in assisted living.
While in Bloomington, Feldmann said she was told there was a position open to be a house director
In order to understand the position more, Feldmann said she participated in a 30-day trial with Alpha Xi Delta for the position. The liveliness and energy of the sisters in the sorority provided a positive contrast to the negativity of her husband’s condition, she said.
Before becoming a house director for Alpha Chi, Feldmann said she was the house director of Alpha Xi for three years. Alpha Xi offered Feldmann to be initiated, too, when she worked for them. However, she declined this offer because she was too busy helping her husband.
Out of respect and affection, the sisters of Alpha Chi refer to Feldmann as “Mom Bev,” McElwain said.
“We see her every day, and she keeps us running,” McElwain said. “She’s really special to us.”
During the initiation, McElwain said Feldmann wore the traditional uniform other sisters wear during initiation.
Feldmann was sworn in as a sister by McElwain, which McElwain said was an honor.
Initiating a house mom as a sister is an uncommon practice among chapters, McElwain said. It is also uncommon to initiate a non-chapter alumna, because most greek organizations require alumnae to be initiated.
However, McElwain said Alpha Chi does not require this practice.
“It was kind of like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as far as something that happens in a greek chapter,” McElwain said. “So it was really a big deal for all of us. We all cried a lot.”
Despite growing up in Bloomington and working with two sororities, Feldmann said she never attended IU.
“Even though she didn’t go to IU, she will always be a part of the Alpha Mu chapter,” McElwain said.
As house mom, Feldmann has dinners with the chapter and also has her own room. McElwain said she knows many other chapters who don’t have as strong as a relationship with their house mom as Alpha Chi does.
“It’s kind of unusual to have a house mom be so integrated into the culture of your house,” McElwain said. “We kind of treat her like she’s kind of like the grandma of the house.”
Alpha Chi is full of sisters who really care about their sorority and philanthropies, Feldmann said. She said she is very impressed with and proud of the sisterhood she joined.
“To me, the sorority has a lot of really strong women,” Feldmann said. “And I feel honored I get to be a part of that, as well.”
