Created by sculptor Littleton Alston, the statue depicts Sister Jean seated on a low bench outside Loyola's Athletic Center on the west quad lawn, allowing visitors to sit beside her for photos or, as Alston said, perhaps leave with a little advice.
"The sculpture is made of cast bronze and will endure the elements for thousands of years to come, no matter what kind of weather comes this way," Alston said during the ceremony.
Following a blessing with holy water, friends, students and university leaders gathered to celebrate Sister Jean's legacy. The unveiling took place on what would have been her 107th birthday.
For many students, the event was an opportunity to reflect on personal memories of Sister Jean.
"My favorite memory of her was on my visit actually since I was a transfer student. I came in and I met her, introduced myself, and then she talked to my brother. And then nine months later, we met with her again, and she remembered everything about my family, my brother," Loyola University student-athlete Emma Henry said.
Longtime friend Tom Hitcho remembered her enduring presence.
SEE ALSO: Loyola University holds funeral, final farewell for Sister Jean
"She was a person forever, just your tradition," Hitcho said.
The unveiling was an emotional occasion for many attendees, including students who reflected on Sister Jean's continued impact on campus.
"Even though she's not here physically, like her presence is still so common here," Loyola University student-athlete Kate Maley said.
Sister Jean became a national sensation as the longtime chaplain of Loyola University Chicago's basketball team. She gained widespread attention during Loyola's 2018 March Madness run, when the 98-year-old nun became a beloved symbol of the team's Cinderella story.
Although Sister Jean died last October, university leaders said her example continues to inspire the Loyola community.
"She taught us to wake up each day with purpose, to trust that every morning is a gift," Senior Vice President Thomas W. Neitzke said during the event.
As a new group of Ramblers prepares to begin the academic year, students said Sister Jean's message of service and mentorship remains relevant.
"So I hope, like, as upperclassmen, you can still continue to have that impact on underclassmen and even outside of that, that as they're classmates, because that was her whole goal and what you preached here," Maley said.
Students will have the opportunity to continue celebrating Sister Jean's legacy when classes begin Monday at Loyola's Rogers Park campus.
This is the first Loyola Welcome Week since the chaplain's passing. She served more than six decades at the lakefront university.