The University of Notre Dame Australia congratulates alumna and Olympic pole vaulting champion Nina Kennedy for being named in the 2025 Australia Day Honours list.
Ms Kennedy, who completed a Bachelor of Behavioural Science at Notre Dame in 2023, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to sport as a gold medallist.
Ms Kennedy made history in the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning Australia’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the women’s pole vault.
She was a nominee for Western Australia’s 2025 Young Australian of the Year Award, and continues to inspire athletes across the nation through her achievements and her work with Little Athletics.
Adjunct Professor and much-admired former journalist Peter Kennedy was also made a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the print and broadcast media.
Mr Kennedy was appointed an Adjunct Professor in Communications and Media at Notre Dame in 2011.
We would also like to congratulate High Court Justice James Edelman who is a former member of the Executive Advisory Board for Notre Dame’s School of Law. Justice Edelman was awarded Australia’s highest honour - the Companion of the Order of Australia – for his eminent service to the law and judiciary.
Notre Dame is honoured to be connected with these Australia Day Honours recipients and thanks them for their service to the University, the community and their chosen fields.
Media Contact: media@nd.edu.au