Deirdre Jordan

Who is Deirdre Jordan?

Deirdre Frances Jordan, AC, MBE is an Australian academic and educator.

Born in Loxton, South Australia, Australia on 18 September 1926 to Clement and Helena Jordan, she was educated at St Aloysius College in Adelaide, South Australia, and joined the Religious Sisters of Mercy when she was 19. With a Bachelor of Arts behind her, Sister Jordan took on the position of Principal at St Aloysius College in 1954, remaining in that role until 1968.

While at St Aloysius, she completed a Masters in Education at the University of Adelaide, becoming the first woman to do so. This led to a position as a lecturer at the University of Adelaide in Sociology, where she remained until 1988. During this period she undertook a number of study tours, including to Tanzania, China and South America.

She was appointed Pro-Chancellor of The Flinders University of South Australia in 1981 and subsequently Chancellor in 1988. Retiring from the post in 2002, she was granted the title of Emeritus Chancellor later that year.