Low- to moderate-income Philadelphians can get extra counseling to file their taxes thanks to Wharton’s Academically Based Community Service tax policy course. The course gives students the tools to apply their knowledge from the classroom directly to the community.
In collaboration with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships and the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, students receive a two-week training to become certified income-tax preparers. They then volunteer at least 40 hours throughout the semester at any of the 12 VITA sites in Philly. The tax-prep locations are managed by the Philadelphia nonprofit Campaign for Working Families, and they file thousands of returns each year.
“It’s the most impactful class I’ve taken,” said Wharton senior Xavier Shankle. “We learned a business concept in class and then, literally, maybe a day later, we’d be in front of a client filing a return.”
Another student, Jessica Rosales, put emphasis on the interpersonal skills gained from the experience.
“Finance is a really big part of a lot of people’s lives, and being able to help them with that is really impactful,” she said. “Being able to work with people in sensitive situations—because financial stuff is kind of personal—and knowing how to manage that is really, really important.”