Accelerate Faculty

Natasha Pechauer '18 loves her career as a web analyst. But it wasn't until she got hands-on experience as a college student that she identified this as her career path.

During her senior year at Alverno, Pechauer's business professor, Sharyn Warren, connected her with fellow business professor Sharon Skinner. Skinner serves on nonprofit board that needed a new website, and she immediately identified the job as a great opportunity for an Alverno student internship. Warren and Skinner offered the gig to Pechauer, a computing and information technology major.

“She's a go-getter and a good leader,” Skinner says.

Pechauer built up her expertise in web design and programming over the course of the six-month project. “Starting off, I was skeptical and nervous,” she recalls. “But when I finished, I had an amazing product that got great feedback. I realized this is where I could be for my career, and that's what brought me to where I am now.”

When it came time to present the finished product to the full advisory board, Pechauer says the old her would have been a wreck.

“Truth be told, before I came to Alverno, I was incredibly nervous about public speaking,” she says. “But public speaking is no longer a problem because Alverno shaped me into a stronger and more confident woman.”

The board presentation went well, and the site remains in use today. Says Skinner: “It was done top-notch. I'm constantly getting compliments. We are extremely proud of her.”

Upon graduation, Pechauer went to work for Trusted Media Brands as a web analyst, where she manages such websites as Reader's Digest. She stays on top of digital trends and analyzes and reports on these trends, including and page views and performance of specific web content. She loves that her job challenges her to learn and grow each day.

“When you encounter a problem, you dig into it and find out what's causing it and how to affect the outcome. It's constantly challenging and I love that,” she says.

Pechauer credits Alverno not only for the confidence that comes with being part of a supportive community, but she also speaks to the power of the College's unique abilities-based curriculum, which embeds the skills that employers demand into every course.

“Alverno helped me grow not only in communication but also in confidence,” she says. “The emphasis on analysis as one of the 8 Abilities showed me where my passions lie. You learn to not only look at what you're doing in the workplace, but you're also able to explain why you're doing it and to consider how you can do it better. You look at the bigger picture rather than just doing your work and going home.”

How did Alverno get you ready for your next step? We're looking for alums to share their stories with us at magazine@alverno.edu.