ACU community recognised in Australia Day honours

ACU Provost Professor Pauline Nugent and former Associate Vice-Chancellor NSW/ACT Professor Marea Nicholson were among members of the ACU community recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours.

The annual awards, which were announced on Sunday 26 January, recognise Australians who have made outstanding contributions that have benefited Australian society.

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Greg Craven offered his congratulations to the members of the ACU community who were recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours.

“I am delighted to see members of the ACU Community recognised for their achievements and service,” Professor Craven said.

Member of Order of Australia

Professor Nugent was honoured ‘for significant service to education, and to nursing’.

Professor Nugent has a background in nursing, having trained at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne. She joined ACU in 2007 as Dean of Health Sciences, then became Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), before being appointed to the position of Provost in 2012.

Professor Nicholson was honoured ‘for significant service to education, and to professional standards’.

Professor Nicholson retired last year after 32 years of service to ACU. She played a key role in the development and growth of ACU in New South Wales and the ACT across her three decades with the university.

Other members of our community who were recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours include:

Ms Dianne McGrath
Ms McGrath has been a lecturer and tutor in the School of Education at ACU’S Ballarat campus since the early 2000s. Ms McGrath was recognised ‘for service to international humanitarian programs, and to the community of Ballarat’.

Dr Leoni Degenhardt
Dr Degenhardt is an ACU Honorary Fellow. She was recognised ‘for significant service to education through the independent schools sector’.

Mr Matthew Luther
Mr Luther is a guest lecturer at ACU. He was recognised ‘for service to nursing’.

Companion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia

Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC
Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC received an honorary doctorate from ACU in 2019. She was recognised ‘for eminent service to the people of New South Wales, particularly through leadership roles in the judiciary, and as a mentor of young women lawyers’.

The full list of Australia Day 2020 honours is available at the Office of the Governor-General’s website.

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