Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt has always been a campuswide celebrity at Loyola. But now with the men’s basketball team making its first Sweet-Sixteen berth since 1985, the 98-year-old basketball-loving nun’s stardom has grown to what she would say “international” status.
Sister Jean, how does it feel to be a national celebrity? pic.twitter.com/5jdgb9zpLM
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) March 18, 2018
With all the attention Sister Jean has received, Loyola sophomore Tanea Crawford decided it’s time to get the nation’s March Madness darlin’ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Crawford created an online petition on Change.org shortly after Loyola upset third-seeded Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday.
The original goal of 500 was met within the first 24 hours.
The petition has been signed more than 1,600 times as of Monday morning and its popularity and circulation is rapidly increasing.
Loyola’s marketing and communication department tried to get Sister Jean featured on Ellen’s “everyday hero” segment in 2014.
Sister Jean never appeared on the show but told The Loyola Phoenix that meeting Ellen would be a blessing.
“If I get to talk to Ellen,” Sister Jean said, “she herself has done so much good for people in this world, and I don’t know that people know that. I would just like to thank her for the good that she does.”
Follow me on Twitter: @madkenney
