Creighton professor Alston sculpts Sister Jean statue at Loyola Chicago
Creighton University Professor of Sculpture Littleton Alston, MFA, recently created a bronze statue honoring Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt at Loyola University Chicago. The statue was unveiled outside Loyola's Norville Center for Intercollegiate Athletics on Friday, Aug. 21 as the university marked the beginning of the academic year. The day also marked what would have been Sister Jean's 107th birthday.
Alston, a member of Creighton’s fine arts faculty since 1990, has also produced statues and busts of individuals such as actor James Earl Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning Nebraska author Willa Cather, and NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers.
“I hope my sculpture creates something of Sister Jean’s spirit, and that I evoke memories of her for the people who know her and love her, and for the many future students and admirers that will come to this very campus to see her,” Alston said in a release provided by the Loyola University.
Sister Jean became a national public figure during Loyola Chicago's historic 2018 March Madness run, when the Ramblers reached the Final Four. She continued to be a fixture on the court at games until her death in October 2025 at the age of 106.
Read the story from Loyola University Chicago.
