News & Contact
Rome: A view from the Jesuit headquarters overlooking St. Peter's Basillica.
Paul Coelho, S.J. in northeast India
Kohima Mission Beginnings
In the latest edition of Conversations Magazine, Fr. Paul Coelho, SJ, shares how the Kohima Jesuits began working with the poorest indigenous peoples in northeast India. The photo-layout features photographs by Don Doll, SJ during his 2020 visit to the region. Click here to read the article.
To see photos and story of the Kohima Jesuit Mission Golden Jubilee Celebration with Fr. Arturo Sosa, click here.
On May 12, 2020 Fr. Daniel Hendrickson, S.J. announced that Fr. Doll, SJ would be retiring from his role as the Charles and Mary Heider Endowed Jesuit Faculty Chair after 25 years of service.
Kent Sievers made this photograph at the original ceremony in September of 1994. The Vision Quest Book had just been published. I presented the first copy to Charles and Mary Heider..
You can read Fr. Hendrickson’s entire letter by clicking here.
On February 9, 2020, the Dean of Creighton’s Dental School, Dr. Mark Latta, surprised Don Doll, S.J., at a special event honoring him for the exhibit of photographs on all four floors in the recently completed Dental School building.
Gold Award for Best Non-Profit Calendar
03-22-2020 – Omaha, NE
Fr. Doll has photographed the students of St. Augustine Indian Mission for their calendars which have been produced annually since 2003. The 2020 St. Augustine Indian Mission fund-raising calendar won the Gold Award for Best Non-Profit for the seventh time. The awards are given by the Calendar Marketing Association of the National and World Calendar Awards.
The previous awards were received in the following years: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 2015 and 2016. Mutual of Omaha, a longtime benefactor of the Mission, provided their award-winning. lead print designer, Patrick Osborne, for the creation of the calendars.
Calendars can be purchased at www.staugustinemission.org
General Congregation 36 — 2016
Don Doll, SJ, was privileged to be the official photographer of GC33 [1995], GC35 [2008] and GC36 [2016]. The 36th General Congregation convened in Rome on October 2, 2016. A general congregation is always summoned on the death or resignation of the head of the Society — the Superior General — to choose his successor, or when the General decides action is needed on serious matters that he cannot or does not want to decide alone. Father Adolfo Nicolás, SJ, former Superior General, a native of Spain, announced his intention to resign in December of 2014. Fr. Arturo Sosa, of Venezuela, was chosen as his successor. Pope Francis visited the Jesuits in their headquarters near St. Peter’s instead of receiving them officially in the Vatican.
Gold Award for Best Non-Profit Calendar
03-22-2016 – Omaha, NE
Fr. Doll has photographed the students of St. Augustine Indian Mission for their calendars which have been produced annually since 2003. The 2016 St. Augustine Indian Mission fund-raising calendar won the Gold Award for Best Non-Profit for the sixth time. The awards are given by the Calendar Marketing Association of the National and World Calendar Awards.
The previous awards were received in the following years: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Mutual of Omaha, a longtime benefactor of the Mission, provided their award-winning. lead print designer, Patrick Osborne, for the creation of the calendars.
Calendars can be purchased at www.staugustinemission.org
Judging for the Photographic Society of America's 83rd International Photography Competition
01-23-2016 – Wilmington, DE
Ignoring the advice of my friends, and the threatening blizzard named Jonas, I flew to Philadelphia, PA on January 22 to honor my commitment to be a judge for Photojournalism at the Photographic Society of America's 83rd International Photography Competition. The PPSA had entries from over 30 countries. They accept both digital and prints; very different from the National Press Photographers competition. I met some wonderful people, including Bob Craig, a longtime, Delaware newspaper photographer. All social events were canceled but we got the judging done.
Long time friend and colleague, Donald Winslow, presented Don with the award indicating induction into the Hall of Fame.
Winslow has served as the editor of the National Press Photographers magazine for the past 9 years.
Doll Inducted into Omaha Press Club Hall of Fame
06-03-2015 – Omaha, NE
"As a photographer and a Jesuit priest, I have been given the extraordinary opportunity to make photographs of people around the world: on Sioux Indian reservations, in remote tribal villages and in desolate refugee camps. On the best days, I may have captured the essence of a person in a photo. It not only has changed my perspective on people and the world, but has given me an opportunity to use those photographs to communicate who these people are and how much we are all connected as human beings under our God."
"So tonight it is humbling not only to be inducted into the Press Club’s Hall of Fame, but to join such a prominent group of honorees."
Exhibit/Lecture at University of Guadalajara
10-16-2014 – Guadalajara, Mexico
Don Doll, S.J., was one of the Jesuit artists invited to
exhibit and give an all-university lecture as part of the
Jesuit University's two week festival celebrating the 200th anniversary of re-institution of the Society of Jesus. The exhibit highlighted the work of the Jesuit Refugee Service curated from Fr. Doll's 20 years work with JRS.
Doll Receives International Understanding Through Photography Award
09-28-2014 – Albuquerque, NM
The Photographic Society of America, a world-wide organization with 6000 members, presented Don Doll, S.J., with their highest photojournalism award at a banquet held in Albuquerque, NM, on October 3rd. Earlier in the day, Fr. Doll was the keynote speaker with his presentation, A Call to Vision: A Jesuit’s Perspective on the World, his latest book, celebrating 50 years of his photography.
Doll Receives Neihardt Award
11-25-2013 – Omaha, NE
On Sunday, November 11, 2013 at the Neihardt Foundation’s Laureate’s Feast, Don Doll, S.J., was named a “Word Sender,” and awarded a bronzed buffalo sculpture. “Word Sender” is what Black Elk called John Neihardt, the author and poet who wrote the classic “Black Elk Speaks,” detailing Black Elk’s life and visions.
In his acceptance slide/presentation, Doll expressed his surprise at being chosen for the “Word Sender” Award. Doll paused and surmised that he might have been chosen if one considers the alleged Chinese proverb, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” eliciting a laugh from the audience. [See Wikipedia for origin of the phrase].
Doll talked about his ‘vocation within a vocation’ as a Jesuit photographer and showed selected images from his 50 year career photographing Native Americans. Many appear in his latest book: A Call to Vision: A Jesuit’s Perspective on the World. The book is available on this website: http://magisproductions.org/Order-Book
Exhibit/Lecture at Marquette
Diederich College of Communication
02-05-2011 – Milwaukee, WI
As part of Marquette University's Mission week,
I was invited by Dean Lori Bergen to exhibit the
St. Augustine Calendar photographs. I also gave
a slide lecture describing my vocation within a
vocation as a Jesuit.
Doll Awarded Chief Standing Bear Award
05-19-2010 – Lincoln, NE
Magis Productions was selected by the Chief Standing Bear Planning Committee to receive the Chief Standing Bear Organizational Award, "recognizing you for your work to give a voice to Native American peoples and promoting social justice for all."
The Chief Standing Bear Commemoration Celebration took place Friday, May 14, 2010 at 11:45 a.m. in the Rotunda of the State Capitol.
Governor's Arts Award
02-02-2006 – Lincoln, NE
On January 31st, 2006, Don Doll, S.J., was honored as "Artist of the Year" at the Governor's Awards luncheon in Lincoln, Nebraska. The award is given biannually to outstanding artists in any medium. Past recipients include Ted Kooser, Nancy Duncan, Keith Jacobshagen, and Megan Terry. Governor Dave Heineman presented the award, an alabaster buffalo, created by Native American sculptor, Edward R. Thomas, to Fr. Doll.
Kodak’s Crystal Eagle Award
1997 – Washington D.C.
A life-time achievement award received from Kodak Professional at the NPPA’s Pictures of the Year award ceremony at the Washington, DC, Press Club for Impact in Photojournalism with Doll's decades of photography among Native Americans.
Picture of the Year Award – 1988
The photograph of Myrtis Walking Eagle attending Christmas Day Mass in the prairie gothic church on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, was selected as the best magazine photo of the year in the Pictures of the Year competition sponsored by National Press Photographers Association. It was published in the book, Christmas In America.
Robin F. Garland Award – 1988
The award is given for outstanding service as a photojournalism educator. Bob Garland was a picture editor and war correspondent for the Saturday Evening Post until he joined Graflex Inc. as press technical representative after World War II. Later he became a press photography products specialist for Eastman Kodak Co. He died in December 1972.
World Understanding Through Photography – 1976
Jim Richardson and I each won special recognition in this category, normally awarded for a person's life work. The judges for the Picture of the Year competition decided to single out Jim and myself for our essays. Jim for his project High School U.S.A. and myself for my work with Native Americans on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota.