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“The one thing that inspires me is my family, specifically my mom and dad. They came into this country without much at all, with dreams of giving their kids a better future, so I try to make them proud with everything I do. They are the reason why I am here right now and I will forever be indebted to them.” — Sabrina Barboza ’21

Sabrina Barboza ’21 is from Katy, Texas, and came to St. Olaf College to play tennis at the collegiate level. Over the last four years, she’s done that and so much more — from exploring academic interests to growing through internships to landing a full-time job in her dream industry that will begin this summer. She has succeeded not only in making her parents proud, but in bringing her talents to the Hill and creating her own path to a fulfilling future.

Prior to coming to St. Olaf, Barboza played tennis in high school. She was an honor roll student, National Honor Society member, and National Spanish Honor Society member. She was also named her high school tennis team’s MVP as a senior, and placed third in the region during the spring season of her senior year as well.

She then came to the Hill and continued her impressive tennis career. Not only is she part of a high-performing tennis team, her personal dedication to the sport shows in everything she does and the accolades she’s received. Barboza has played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for her whole career. In her sophomore year, she also became the first member of the St. Olaf women’s tennis team in nearly seven years to be named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week. Additionally, she is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete and a two-time MIAC Academic All-Conference honoree. Lastly, Barboza helped lead St. Olaf to the MIAC Playoffs in 2019.

Sabrina Barboza ’21Being a part of the team has been one of my favorite parts about my time here, and I truly love my teammates and my coaching staff and the support they give me both on and off the court.

“Being a part of the team has been one of my favorite parts about my time here, and I truly love my teammates and my coaching staff and the support they give me both on and off the court,” she says. As a student-athlete, Barboza has proven that hard work and talent will not go unnoticed and that she can do anything she puts her mind to.

Barboza is an economics major with an emphasis in finance. She is also involved in a TRIO mentoring program that pairs St. Olaf students with younger students to provide a positive college student role model. “It has been one of my favorite things I’ve done at St. Olaf,” says Barboza. “I really believe it’s important to encourage young kids to appreciate education and that they understand that it is possible to go to college no matter their circumstances.”

Barboza’s competitive edge, leadership and mentorship experience, and academic success led her to the INROADS program. INROADS is an organization that helps students find internships around the country. Barboza connected with UnitedHealth Group and had the opportunity to intern with the company for two summers. She interned at various parts of the company, including sales, underwriting, and finance. 

She honed her skills and expanded her knowledge in different areas, and was then able to discover her interests within the company. She says, “I am very grateful to UnitedHealth Group for the incredible internship experience they provided me.”

This past summer, Barboza interned at UnitedHealth Group’s Corporate Development team and was given a full-time offer that will start in July 2021. Ever since she started working at UnitedHealth Group, she’s wanted to be a part of the Corporate Development Team.

“My experience this summer was really special because I learned a lot about Mergers & Acquisitions and the process behind buying companies,” Barboza says. “I was lucky enough to be surrounded with some incredibly smart people who helped me understand the processes really well throughout the summer.”

Sabrina Barboza ’21I am most excited to get out to the world and do something meaningful with the education and preparation I’ve received. It has always been important to me to give back to my community, so I am looking forward to finding different ways in which I can make a positive impact — whether that is directly through my work at UHG or through other avenues outside of work.

She also recollects her time during the summer in saying, “One of the main things I learned from interning there this summer is how important details are when it comes to pitching companies to executives. I was lucky enough to be able to do a company evaluation presentation for the Chief Development Officer alongside other team leaders at the end of my internship, and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always remember.”

Whether she’s on the tennis court, in the classroom, or working for the largest healthcare company in the world, Barboza will stand out and give it all she’s got. “I am very grateful to St. Olaf for how well it has prepared me to do just that during my time here,” she explains. 

“I am most excited to get out to the world and do something meaningful with the education and preparation I’ve received. It has always been important to me to give back to my community, so I am looking forward to finding different ways in which I can make a positive impact — whether that is directly through my work at UHG or through other avenues outside of work.”