Loyola University Chicago’s Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt is turning 103 years old Sunday, and the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has released another doll for the longtime nun and Ramblers team chaplain, the organization said in a news release.
The limited edition Sister Jean ornament and dashboard mini bobbleheads are officially licensed by Loyola and are being produced in conjunction with the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and the school’s athletic department, according to the national organization. The bobbleheads are only available in the online store and later also in the university’s bookstore.
The bobbleheads feature Sister Jean smiling, holding a basketball and wearing a Loyola Ramblers jacket along with a scarf and shoes in school colors, maroon and gold. The Sister Jean bobblehead is standing on a maroon and gold base with the university logo and her name along the edge.
“Sister Jean’s bobblehead popularity continues to this day, and we are thrilled to announce these two new products in honor of her 103rd birthday,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “We are thrilled to be working with the university so that more fans across the country can have a Sister Jean bobblehead. Everyone needs some of Sister Jean’s positive attitude and great spirit in their life, and this bobblehead will be a great way to have that!”
Each bobblehead is 4 inches tall. The ornament bobblehead has a string for hanging, while the dashboard mini bobblehead has an adhesive strip on the base.
The bobbleheads are expected to ship in November, the Milwaukee-based bobblehead organization said. Each one is $20 plus a flat rate of $8 per order for shipping.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Loyola Athletic Fund and the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Sister Jean has been the university basketball team’s chaplain since 1994 and has had several bobbleheads since, including in 2018 when the Ramblers made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, according to the organization. Her bobblehead sold out and was the bestselling bobblehead of all time until Dr. Anthony Fauci’s bobblehead surpassed it in April 2020.
Another bobblehead was sold to fans in 2021, when the basketball team returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. A limited number of those bobbleheads are still available.
