Opening Doors to Opportunities: Sergio Barrera ’16 BA (Economics and Mathematics)

Sergio Barrera ’16 BA (Economics and Mathematics) has overcome a number of challenges throughout his life…including his biggest challenge—himself.

As a child, Barrera had a great example of hard work right in front of him—his father. A Mexican immigrant, Barrera’s dad was one of the 16 children who grew up without a lot—or any–extras.

“He never even got his high school diploma,” says Barrera. “But he always worked hard and tried to learn more, and that’s something that always stuck with me.” Barrera’s father is now foreman at a construction company in Sierra Vista.

Barrera admits he himself did not work as hard, at first. “I wasn’t a very good student,” he says. “I hung out with kids that got in trouble and were in gangs. When I was younger, I really liked the idea of going to the University of Arizona, but then I stopped believing I could, and I stopped trying.”

But everything changed once he joined the Marine Corps—which at first, he gravitated toward not knowing what else to do. “I wanted a job that was exciting and meaningful,” he says. “It ended up becoming the most difficult five years of my life.”

Barrera was a linguist in the Marine Corps, which meant attending language school for two years. “I had to learn how to study and care about school again,” he says. “And it made me think of what my dad has always taught me about working hard and trying because that’s what would help me succeed.” Not only did Barrera learn to speak Farsi, he also learned other dialects that were spoken in Afghanistan as well as the culture and history of the region.

After separating from the Marine Corps—which included a deployment to Afghanistan—Barrera decided that he did indeed want to pursue an education and renewed his interest in the University of Arizona. He knew it would be a challenge, but he’d already learned so much about perseverance in the Marine Corps, so he decided to stick “to the same principles—work hard and persist. And if times get tough, don’t give up.” The mindset definitely paid off. Barrera received the Economics Senior of the Year Award as well as the Mathematics Senior of the Year Award.

He is now a research analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, where he focuses on economic inequality and ways to make the economy more inclusive for minorities. He is involved in an organization called The Economy of Francesco, run by Pope Francis, which, he says, brings together young economists, entrepreneurs and community activists to try and build a more just and sustainable economy.

Barrera is also a fourth year PhD student at the University of Minnesota and hopes to graduate in 2022.

“I continue to live by what my father taught me about perseverance and hard work, but I also have learned that it’s important to take opportunities,” he says. “If I hadn’t been open to taking the opportunities I did, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today.”