Sydney Barber is all set to become the first Black woman to serve as the brigade commander at the US Naval Academy. A Midshipman 1st Class Barber will assume the leadership position for the spring semester. She is the sixteenth woman to ascend to the position since women were admitted to the Naval Academy in 1976. Barber is the first Black woman to lead her peers at the academy in the institution’s 175-year-old history.
Sydney Barber: The First Black Woman Brigade Commander Of US Naval Academy
Hailing from Lake Forest, Illinois, Barber is currently pursuing mechanical engineering and hopes to become a Marine Corps ground officer. As reported by USA Today, she has also created a STEM mentorship program to help young girls of colour develop their skills in the field. Additionally, she has spearheaded a networking breakfast to connect current Black midshipmen with alumni. The Washington Post also reported that Barber has been a pivotal part of the naval academy’s track and field teams. Barber recently combined a team of more than 180 midshipmen, faculty and alumni to further diversity, inclusion and equity at the academy.
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Previously, Barber has been an intern with the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Her exemplary research on developing legislative policies to alleviate educational disparities in communities of colour led to her being named as a 2020 Truman Scholar national finalist. Notably, her appointment as the brigade commander will make her the only ‘six-striper’, a term for the collar insignia worn on the midshipman uniform.
What You Should Know:
- Sydney Barber is all set to become the first Black woman to serve as the brigade commander at the US Naval Academy.
- She is the sixteenth woman to ascend to the position since women were admitted to the Naval Academy in 1976.
- She has a host of academic and extra-curricular achievements to her credit.
- Barber has also spearheaded various initiatives to promote diversity and inclusivity at the academy.
- Midshipman 1st Class Ryan Chapman, the academy’s current brigade commander, hailed Barber as the “perfect person to lead the brigade.”
Hailed As The Perfect Choice
Barber new responsibilities will include overseeing the everyday activities and professional training of the midshipmen. Midshipman 1st Class Ryan Chapman, the academy’s current brigade commander, hailed Barber as the “perfect person to lead the brigade.” He said, “She is a catalyst for action, a visionary, a listener, a doer and a person driven by compassion, by faith, by a fierce sense of passion and heart full of love.” Janie Mines, the first Black woman to graduate from the Naval Academy in 1980, congratulated Barber via social media. She wrote, “This brought me to tears. 40 years later. Thank you, Sydney! Love you!”
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In a statement released post her appointment, Barber said, “Earning the title of brigade commander speaks volumes, but the title itself is not nearly as significant as the opportunity it brings to lead a team in doing something I believe will be truly special.” She also added that she was humbled to play a small role in such a momentous period of American history.
Picture Credits: Capital Gazette
Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV
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