What an incredibly inspiring woman! This book is genuinely timeless, brimming with priceless wisdom and profound insights. Sister Jean is an absolute treasure, and reading her book was a pure delight. Her extraordinary life experiences are not only remarkable but also deeply encouraging to readers of all ages. And the fact that she recently celebrated her 104th birthday is truly a blessing!

Wow what a book. The Loyola Chicago matriarch and college basketball icon tells all of her secrets in this remarkable memoir. Sister Jean’s wit, wisdom, and common sense at 102 years old teaches all of us a few life lessons.

WAKE UP WITH PURPOSE! by Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, advocate and chaplain to the Loyola University's men's basketball team, is subtitled "What I've Learned in My First Hundred Years." Writing with Seth Davis (an award-winning analyst for CBS Sports), Sister Jean reflects on how "having a daily purpose has kept me not only alive but young and vibrant." She writes about being "a little happier and more productive" by beginning her day with quiet time and mentions the Examen prayer from St. Ignatius of Loyola; here are examples from The Jesuit Institute or The Loyola Press. She shares detail-filled stories of her young life, too. Examples are rooting for Notre Dame football, the day Knute Rockne died, playing girls basketball only a few decades after the game was invented, and even how she was given her religious name. As intended, WAKE UP WITH PURPOSE! is a wonderfully inspirational book and I am curious to compare and contrast Sister Jean's views with those in the forthcoming book The Well-Lived Life by Gladys McGarey, another centenarian who shares wisdom learned in a long life. Together, they seem to be battling the African proverb Sister Jean found: "When an old person dies, a library closes."

In the 2018 NCAA men’s college basketball tournament, the Ramblers from Loyola University of Chicago made a run all the way to the Final Four and their success brought an even bigger story than their victories on the court. The team chaplain, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, affectionately known as “Sister Jean”, won the hearts of viewers of the tourney, whether they were cheering for the Ramblers or not. It was amazing to see how a gentle 98 year old sister became a media sensation and now, five years later, she is sharing the story of her life.
While it was basketball that made her known around the world, and she does talk about sports throughout the book, there is much more to her story than her time with the Loyola basketball team. From her childhood in California to her decision to attend the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) in Dubuque, Iowa, she talks with fond memories of those times and the family and friends she shared them with. It was in her time at the BVM when she confirmed that her belief that she should embark on a life of service to God was the correct one, and she lived her life with that purpose.
She talks much about her time as an educator, which encompassed all levels of schooling, from elementary school to college. Of course, the school at which she has had the longest tenure was Loyola, including her time as a teacher and administrator at Mundelein College, an all-women’s school that merged with Loyola due to declining enrollment.
That change, one of the more major ones in her life, was one that she handled just like the others: she accepted it and enthusiastically embarked on whatever changes she had to face. She always believed that God had a purpose for her and if took this change, then she was going to do it. Sister Jean always shares her humor and her wisdom through each phase of her career and life and also her viewpoints on some social aspects such as abortion, racism and women’s rights. They don’t fit one particular political spectrum, which really fits her since she does not make overt political statements.
Of course, her time with the men’s basketball team, especially the 2018 team, is discussed by her in great detail and with great joy, even when the team wasn’t too successful. There’s enough of this discussion that basketball fans will enjoy the book, but it is so much more than a sports book – it’s a great memoir of a wonderful lady with joy in her heart and much love to share with all.
I wish to thank Harper Select for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed are strictly mine.

OK, so if you haven't heard about the wonderful woman that is Sister Jean, you need to know her! She is one of the most positive people that I have ever heard of. She is a wonderful Cheerleader and woman. This is her story and the things that she learned over her life. I enjoyed this book and leaning more about the wonderful woman she is!

This was such a lovely book. Absolutely would be honored to have it at our location. Sister Jeanie a force to be reckoned with and her life lessons and himour will keep readers turning the pages!

Known to millions as simply "Sister Jean," the Loyola Chicago matriarch and college basketball icon invites you into her remarkable memoir filled with history, wonder, and common-sense wisdom for this century and beyond. As Sister Jean wisely says, "I've seen so many changes in the last 102 years, but the important things remain the same."

Part life story, part philosophy text, and part spiritual guide, Sister Jean's wit, wisdom, and common sense has broad appeal and application that transcends religious creed, belief, and even feelings on Loyola's basketball team.

Along with her collaborator Seth Davis, an award-winning writer, broadcaster and New York Times best-selling author, Sister Jean lets you experience:

Sister Jean's words and her spirit.
her sharp sense of humor.
life lessons gleaned from one hundred years of living.
universal themes that connect us all.
priceless wisdom.
The driving force inside Wake Up with Purpose! is the narrative of Sister Jean's fascinating life--from teaching at a Catholic school during the Second World War to serving on a Chicago college campus in the sixties and beyond to cheering from the sidelines of a men's basketball tournament in March 2018.

Absolutely adorable and such a fast read! This book had me smiling ear to ear!
What beautiful life advice and spirit Sister Jean has. I know many of our readers will enjoy and be inspired by her. I know I was.
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Known to millions as simply "Sister Jean," the Loyola Chicago matriarch and college basketball icon invites you into her remarkable memoir filled with history, wonder, and common-sense wisdom for this century and beyond. As Sister Jean wisely says, "I've seen so many changes in the last 102 years, but the important things remain the same."

Part life story, part philosophy text, and part spiritual guide, Sister Jean's wit, wisdom, and common sense has broad appeal and application that transcends religious creed, belief, and even feelings on Loyola's basketball team.

Along with her collaborator Seth Davis, an award-winning writer, broadcaster and New York Times best-selling author, Sister Jean lets you experience:

Sister Jean's words and her spirit.
her sharp sense of humor.
life lessons gleaned from one hundred years of living.
universal themes that connect us all.
priceless wisdom.
The driving force inside Wake Up with Purpose! is the narrative of Sister Jean's fascinating life--from teaching at a Catholic school during the Second World War to serving on a Chicago college campus in the sixties and beyond to cheering from the sidelines of a men's basketball tournament in March 2018.

As you learn about Sister Jean's century-long life, you'll feel just like the Loyola students do when they knock on her office door, plop down in a chair, and ask if she would have time to chat, an activity that she still does daily.