Midshipman First Class Sydney Barber

Sydney Barber was the first black woman Brigade commander of the U.S. Naval Academy in 2020. This stands out to me because the marine industry has been going on for so long and just recently they recognized a woman in this category. Another aspect of her life that stands out is that she gave back to the community. As a high school student Sydney Barber devoted her time to humanitarian work in places like India and the Dominican Republic. She states “It opened my eyes.. There is much more to life than materialism, and it made me grateful for all I had. I want to pour that back into the world." This is important because it demonstrates that even at a young age she was devoted to helping others. This proves her leadership skills are what helped her to become a successful woman in the marines. In college she majored in engineering where she became passionate about the maritime industry. This led her to her position as the first black female brigade commander and helped her become who she is today.

Gabriel Arboleda