It was before laptops, the internet, social media, and smartphones. It was 1974, and if you were a woman studying at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, you were most likely the only woman in most of your classes.
“I didn’t know I was the first female mechanical engineering graduate until it happened,” said Marlene Nelson (ME 74). “It made me wonder if others had tried that path. I found the instructors to be welcoming, but I have to say it would have been more fun with some female classmates.”
Marlene visited campus this past May for her class’s 50-Year Graduate Reunion on the Mines campus. She visited with recent graduate Melissa May (ME 24) about the differences and similarities between their educations at Mines. One strong link was their association with other women on campus.
“Third floor Dake Hall, where I lived, had a small but mighty group of strong women who knew what they wanted in life and went after it,” said Marlene. “It helped us all survive our time at Mines. That common experience is a strong bond that I cherish, and we’ll always have it.”
“I have found community with my fellow female classmates who have had similar experiences,” she said. “This community is vital, and I would not be successful without their support.”
If Marlene could give a piece of advice to Melissa and her fellow graduates, it is to figure out what matters to you and try to find a job doing it.
“I hadn’t intended my first job to evolve into a 34-year career at the same company, but I loved my work at Boeing. I always felt challenged, and I was able to change up my career from engineer to airplane pilot to airplane salesperson to factory manager to aviation safety specialist. So don’t think you have to do just one thing.”
Marlene was the first female airplane salesperson at Boeing, and she remembers being “so out of my element” in her first meeting. But instead of retreating, she pushed herself to collaborate.
“Trust your instincts and your intellect,” she said. “Insert yourself in conversations and activities when you think you should be a part of them.”
Melissa is in the process of applying for Ph.D. programs in aerospace engineering. Her advice to younger students is to find your community of friends and keep them close.
“I have made some of my closest friends here, whether it was through being roommates, being on the track team together, or having the same classes. These friendships have been invaluable to me and are what shaped my college experience.”
Today’s world is miles apart from some of the challenges Marlene experienced – one being her high school guidance counselor suggesting she go to Mines to “get a great job as an executive secretary.”
“I’m pleased there are many more women in the mechanical engineering department now. I love being an alumna of Mines. There is instant connection and shared experiences with Mines alumni everywhere, and a huge sense of accomplishment for completing a challenging curriculum. And gratitude for the paths it opened.”
That’s one thing that hasn’t changed.