Is it Too Soon to Make Sister Jean Death Merch?

Despite her death on Oct. 9, 2025, the face of the late Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, is still visible everywhere at Loyola. She adorns signs, posters and T-shirts all marked with the signature maroon and gold. To students though, she was more than just her merch.

Schmidt represented the most positive Loyola values. She was caring, kind and open. People who met her seemed to love her, and people who hadn’t had the chance to meet her seemed to love her anyway. 

Schmidt experienced and participated in more than a century of history. In her lifetime, she started a sports program at an elementary school, served as the dean of Mundelein before it merged with Loyola and served as our men’s basketball chaplain. She was a living testament to 106 years of American and Loyola history.

For Loyola to hastily monetize her memory seems disingenuous.

Less than two months after Schmidt died, Loyola Athletics announced on Dec. 4, the arrival of the “Sister Jean Legacy” collection. A portion of profits to go to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the website. 

The line consists of about 25 pieces, ranging from apparel to pennants to bobbleheads, all modeled with a Sister Jean logo, flashy script typeface and vaguely mournful quotes. 

“Always with us,” a shirt reads. 

“Forever a Rambler,” says another.

Reactions to this decision seemed mixed. 

“What percentage is the portion [of profits]? It doesn’t say anywhere on the website,” the top comment on the announcement post read. 

Other commenters accused the logo of being AI. Some applauded the decision as tasteful. A substantial number of students found it mortifying.

There’s an uneasiness about the notion of Loyola making money off Schmidt’s image, especially so promptly after her death. Though it’s clear Schmidt gave permission for her likeness to be used for the school’s profit, the death merch line isn’t the most respectful way to do it. Sure, Schmidt was a campus icon, but she was a person first. 

Though her legacy looms large over Loyola students and faculty alike, Schmidt wasn’t an infallible fictional character or school mascot. She was human and lived a life like the rest of us. 

Though we can no longer ask Schmidt for her personal feelings on this collection, it feels like the institution has commercialized her death. Alas, nothing screams, in mourning of a remarkable, devout woman who represented our university through the majority of her life while conducting virtuous acts of servitude for students to be able to appreciate their education, like a wooden ornament. 

In an email interview with Tom Sorboro, the head of merchandising at Loyola, some important information was brought to light. The Legacy line had already been well into the planning stages before Schmidt passed. 

Though Sorboro couldn’t provide a figure for the percentage of sales sent to the BVMs — those numbers aren’t available to the public — he assured that Schmidt supported and authorized the collection, even though she had limited involvement with it before her death.

In 2018, Schmidt assigned her licensing rights to Loyola Athletics with the request that she not review every design relating to her, as there were so many items being proposed.

“While her direct involvement in specific designs was intentionally limited, we did share some early concept designs with her (in the Spring of 2025, I believe) to ensure she was comfortable with the creative direction, which she was” Sorboro wrote in an email to The Phoenix

Though Schmidt was aware of the intention behind the Legacy Collection, the monetization of this line after her death could’ve been handled better, especially with its timing. Loyola merchandising should’ve given students, faculty and her fans appropriate time to mourn before releasing a new line of merch.

On the topic of timing, Sorboro informed The Phoenix the concept for the line was thought up several years ago, and the first concept meeting for it took place in 2024. Schmidt was able to review some early designs for the pieces.

“[The collection] was never intended to be launched posthumously; rather, the collection was conceived as a celebration of her spirit — one we all hoped she would be able to see and enjoy during her lifetime” Sorboro wrote.

Even with Sorboro’s reasoning to keep the production schedule the same in the wake of Schmidt’s death, it’s hard to believe shirts which say “Always a Rambler” were the best idea to release after her passing. 

Pieces of apparel shouldn’t appear to allude to her passing, even if they were intended to be released before she died.  Additionally, beyond what covers the cost of production, all of the profits should be going to Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, not just a vague “portion.” 

That being said, Schmidt’s likeness was — and still is — managed by the school. In a 2018 article about Schmidt’s likeness, she gave the school her blessing to use her image and personhood as seen fit. 

Sorboro, who’d been quoted for the article, told ESPN Schmidt never asked for compensation or credit. It makes sense this permission — and lack of request for payment — still holds true even after her death. 

Though, as much as people want to believe this line was done with the best intentions and would’ve been released even if Schmidt was still with living, the timing — or lack thereof — makes it feel like the school is finding yet another way to profit off our biggest celebrity. 

As one of the largest Jesuit universities in the United States, Loyola makes a point to uphold positive Catholic ideals, teaching respect, selflessness, and love. With the Sister Jean Legacy collection, it becomes all too clear that the school is choosing to use Schmidt’s celebrity status, not respecting it in the way they preach.