Ambassador Q&A: Amanda Gochenour ’24

Amanda Gochenour
Undergraduate: B.S., Dental Hygiene, Augusta University
Location: Virginia
Contact: wsk3gm@virginia.edu | LinkedIn

What is your professional/academic background?

I currently am employed as a Dental Hygienist at Aaron Periodontics in Roanoke, VA. I attended Augusta University for my B.S. in Dental Hygiene, and graduated in 2018.

Why did you decide to pursue an MSBA?

I had always known I would eventually further my education; it was just a matter of how. I had reached the point in my profession where I realized there was no room for growth, so I began looking at programs that would allow me to get out of my current limited field and was very interested in science-based programs in the business realm.

What led you to UVA’s MSBA Program?

First and foremost, my husband is a double Hoo! He has always spoken so highly of his experiences at the school and the connections that can be made through the school’s network. I was also very interested in being able to make data-driven decisions, as I have noticed a large shift in the business world, even in the dental field. With these two things in mind, choosing UVA was a no-brainer!

What have you enjoyed most and/or what are you looking forward to in the program?

Learning how to use the new tools like Tableau, Sawtooth, Python, R Studio, and SPSS is challenging but so rewarding. It is extremely interesting to take those tools in conjunction with business concepts to make data-driven decisions.

What are your interests and hobbies?

Any chance I can get I love to be outside in nature, whether that is hiking, kayaking, walking, biking etc.! As much as I can, I try to read, as well.

What is your favorite place you have traveled to?

I truly love any place with mountains. I was born and raised in Oregon, and to this day, it is one of my favorite places. Hawaii is also a beautiful state with a wonderful beach/mountain combo.

What is your favorite aspect(s) of residencies?

It is truly special when you get the entire cohort together. Being in C’ville, we truly felt like we momentarily lived on Grounds. Residencies can feel chaotic and overwhelming going into them, but it is so nice there is ALWAYS time to hang out and make connections with your classmates in the evenings. We seriously always have something going on. It’s a blast!

What is your best piece of advice for prospective students?

My best piece of advice is really brush up on your statistics foundation and make sure you are interested in that, as well as try out some basic Python and coding courses—just to ensure this field interests you.