Momentum - April 2021 - 2

EDITORIAL
DREAM BIG
When SAE recently published Flight Paths to Success: Career
Insights from Women Leaders in Aerospace,
I had very mixed reactions. My first was that
of extreme admiration. How could I not be
in total awe reading about the major
successes of 33 women in aviation, space,
and academia? Unfortunately, my second
reaction was not nearly as generous. The
truth is that I was green with envy, which is
not a good color on me.
I realize now that several childhood
incidents helped to shape my destiny. For
example, due to my high marks in math, my
Donna Edenhart, SAE
third-grade teacher had me tested for the
Director of Membership
school's gifted student program. Before the & Community
Engagement
exam, the instructor said something like
" I'm not sure why a pretty little girl like you
would want anything to do with math. " Thus, the beginning of my
severe aversion to arithmetic. (I tanked the test).
When I was 15, I expressed my interest in exploring a career in
law enforcement to a family friend who was a city police officer. I
was so embarrassed when he laughed and told me that I would
never get through training because I was too weak. He also said
that women are much more likely to shoot at male perpetrators out
of fear. Although I was mature enough to know that he had some
serious gender biases, something told me he was probably right.
Instead, I shifted my sights on college. Because I was the first
person in my family to pursue a degree, I had to rely on my high
school guidance counselor for advice. After scanning my SAT score
and grades, he declared that I should get a B.A. in English because
" women do better in liberal arts. " In fairness, my degree has served
me well. Combined with my work experience, it eventually led to
me to a job that I love. What still sticks in my craw is that I allowed
myself to be swayed by gender stereotypes.
I don't have a big enough ego to think that I ever could have
become as accomplished as Flight Paths book authors Rhonda
Walthall of Collins Aerospace and Brenda Mitchell of Aloft
AeroArchitects. But that doesn't stop me from being a little jealous.
They had the courage to reach for the stars.
If I had to do it again, I would have nailed that math test. My
advice to all the SAE women out there: Don't let anybody step on
your dreams.

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2 April 2021

SAE MEMBERSHIP STAFF
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Donna Edenhart
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Momentum - April 2021

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