The Collegian

Issue date: 10/8/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Shannon Odell Sue Wismar and her current creative project, a quilt, in her home, Simpson Hall.

Some people think it's difficult for mothers to have three or four boys - imagine having more than 100.

Sue Wismar, the house director of Simpson Hall, has done exactly that for the past seven years. Despite how frightening her job might sound, she said she generally enjoys it.

"The best thing about my job is the relationships and interactions with all of the residents, because I love them all," Wismar said.

Despite this generally good experience, she admits there have been times when the residents have added a little extra chaos to her life. She said she remembers calling maintenance to complain that they planted a tulip tree in Simpson's courtyard without her permission-only to find out that a resident had removed the tree from the Grewcock Student Union and planted it there himself.

Wismar also remembered a housekeeper chasing out some chickens that a resident had brought in. She said she didn't want to tell stories of any more pranks, however, because she didn't want any current residents to get any ideas.

Junior Dean Fletcher, while now living off-campus, said he participated in his fair share of pranks while living in Simpson, such as "making sundaes" on other residents' doors by throwing pudding at them, or sling-shooting candy.

"Me and my friends bought slingshots from Wal-Mart," he said. "Peanut M&Ms worked really well, so we would shoot them from third [floor] doors down to the windows, and she came up and assumed it was our floor."

Sophomore Parker Fox said he remembers involvement in his fair share of pranks, too.

"We were having a bunch of people over to watch a movie and our seating situation was not ideal, so we helped ourselves to a couch from the lobby," he said. "It almost fit perfectly in the room."

Fox said the boys planned to return the couch the next day, but Wismar came in and told them to put it back before they got a chance to - surprising them at the moment one of the boys was relaxing on the borrowed furniture.

Despite these and other shenanigans, Wismar said she remains impressed by the caliber of men in the dormitory, who she said help her carry her things and open doors for her.

"I feel really encouraged about the future of our country because of all the good young men I've met and gotten to know here," she said.

Before becoming house director, Wismar said she worked as a social worker, including six and a half years as a substance abuse worker. While she said this does help her warn students about the dangers of alcohol, she always refers students to professionals if she thinks they need outside help. Still, she said she supports them however she can.

"I think it's important that they have a mother-figure," Wismar said, who has two daughters of her own-one working as a registered nurse at Hillsdale Hospital and another earning her master's degree-and two grandsons.

Perhaps this is why she makes sure to say hello to each resident as he walks in or out of the dorm, and even jokes with one that he looks like he is "looking for trouble."

"The guys are pretty open," she said. "If they have problems, they will talk to me."

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