Loyola student volunteers prepare 356 tax returns for Baltimore residents
Student volunteers with the accounting department at Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business prepared 356 tax returns for taxpayers in the Baltimore community, resulting in tax refunds totaling over $500,000 this season. The tax preparation services were provided free of charge for qualifying taxpayers at the Loyola Clinical Centers on York Road.
“Loyola embraces our role and responsibility as an anchor institution in the city,” said Mary Ann Scully, MBA ’79, dean of Loyola’s Sellinger School. “We care deeply about our neighbors. That care is evidenced year after year in the work that faculty, students and a growing number of business partners do for individuals and families to ensure they receive all available credits and deductions every tax season. In the process of assisting these individuals, we’ve collectively created more opportunity and equity in the community.”
Over 70 IRS-certified students, Loyola faculty members and professional accountants volunteered through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program in partnership with the nonprofit Creating Assets, Savings and Hope (CASH) Campaign of Maryland. This is the fifth year Loyola has hosted a site offering free tax preparation services.
“The Loyola VITA program gives our students real-life training on tax preparation and experience interacting with community clientele,” said Michael Bender, CPA, executive in residence at the Sellinger School. “This invaluable experience provides our students with the opportunity to learn from seasoned CPAs and gives the participating firms the opportunity to meet and get to know our students. More than 350 community members benefited from these efforts.”
Loyola has participated in the VITA program for many years, but in the past, students volunteered at other sites. Students have facilitated hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds to members of the community in prior years.
Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and Management delivers an internationally recognized Jesuit business education. Recognized for its scholarship, ethical leadership and tradition of excellence, the Sellinger School delivers a wide range of sought-after fields of study including eight undergraduate majors and 11 undergraduate minors as well as full-time, part-time and fully online MBA and Master of Accounting programs. In-person classes are available on campuses in Baltimore, Columbia and Timonium, Maryland. (www.loyola.edu/sellinger)