Polly Steenhagen
- Delaware State University Professor
Polly D. Steenhagen's distinguished career in aviation spans more than five decades of leadership, mentorship, and service. Bom in the Bronx, New York, she began flying in 1973 at Suburban Airport,
inspired by her college roommate Jill Brown, the first African American woman airline pilot.
After earning a B.S. from St. John's College and both a Master's and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Steenhagen launched her professional flight instruction career at Freeway Airport in 1975.
In 1989, she became Airport Manager at the historic College Park Airport before joining Delaware State University in 1997, where shetaught nearly every aviation course and guided generations of students. with over 30,000 flight hours and recognition as a NAFI Master Flight Instructor, she also developed DSU's Aviation Management curriculum, overseeing its remarkable growth and impact.
Beyond the classroom, Steenhagen serves as Vice Chair of the Delaware 99s, Honorary Commander at Dover AFB, and a dedicated volunteer with the Air Mobility Command Museum. A member of women in Aviation, the University Aviation Association, the civil Air Patrol, and multiple national professional organizations, she exemplifies the spirit of a Passionate Precision Professional-
