Mary Ilgen was one of the first women to graduate from Penn State University with a degree in aeronautical engineering. She was awarded an honorary woman's membership in Tau Beta Pi, national engineering honor society. Penn State honored Mary Ilgen as the 1971 Penn State Woman of the Year and as the Outstanding Engineering Alumnus in 1988. After graduation, Mary Ilgen went to work for Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc. in Santa Monica, California, as a member of the Performance Group of the Aerodynamics Section. There she worked on the development of the DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, and DC-10. In 1949, she began flight instruction and obtained her pilot's license. She became the Chief of the Flight Test and Certification Performance Branch of the Performance and Operations Section of Aerodynamics for Douglas's Long Beach facility. In September, 1967, Douglas selected Mary Ilgen as "Engineering Personality of the Month." She died on October 8, 1997 in Cypress, CA at the age of 70.
From the description of Mary L. Ilgen papers, 1948-circa 1997. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 318123064
