On Monday, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, also known as Sister Jean, celebrated her 104th birthday.
The March Madness icon Sister Jean was born on August 21, 1919, in San Francisco, California. Fans began leaving tributes for the religious sister on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Here are a few examples:
A #MarchMadness icon turns 104 today!
Join us in wishing Sister Jean a Happy Birthday 🎉 pic.twitter.com/CFDDZ1zKNf
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) August 21, 2023
Happy 104th birthday to Sister Jean of @LoyolaChicago! 🎉 https://t.co/46WVmoNNvo pic.twitter.com/fY0mbGcw75
— Jesuit News (@jesuitnews) August 21, 2023
Join us in wishing Sister Jean a Happy 104th Birthday today! pic.twitter.com/meYPFy4hEL
— Loyola University Chicago (@LoyolaChicago) August 21, 2023
In a 1998 interview, she admitted, “I keep telling myself that.” “Don’t just sit here and do nothing,” I said.
Sister Jean, who is she?
In addition to serving as the team chaplain for the Loyola Ramblers men’s basketball team at Loyola University Chicago (LUC), Jean is a religious sister with the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
According to the LUC website, Jean “makes it a point to say ‘good morning’ to everyone she encounters. Sometimes Sister Jean has to startle students out of their routine to get their attention because they are busy typing a text or listening to music in their earbuds. But they all pause and give her a salutation in return when they notice her recognizable smile.”
“That’s being a person for others by just being yourself,” she explains. “That’s just how I am. I must be authentic. I advise my students to be themselves, even though they may see people they admire and wish to emulate. You are who you are because God created you.”
Sister Jean relocated to the Chicago area from California 60 years ago, and she has lived there ever since. She began serving as the chaplain for the Loyola Ramblers men’s basketball team in 1994. During the Ramblers’ appearances in the 2018 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, she gained international recognition.
In 1961, she started working as a teacher at Mundelein College. Sister Jean stayed there up until the 1991 merger of that organization with Loyola. She then became a chaplain for the men’s basketball team.
At Loyola’s Water Tower Campus, Sister Jean will be celebrated with a block party on August 31.