How Becoming a Tax Volunteer Led Me to a Future in Accounting

Albert Einstein once called income tax the hardest thing for him to understand. If even a genius found taxes challenging, it’s no wonder many of us feel overwhelmed during tax season, and right about now tax season has come in full force.

Fortunately, at UC Davis the Students in VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) club helps people with their taxes, and this year, I’m serving on the VITA club board.

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What is Students in VITA?

Students in VITA is a non-profit organization that offers free tax preparation services to individuals earning $67,000 or less. As a campus club, we train our interns to become IRS-certified volunteers who can provide basic income tax preparation for our local community.

We offer an opportunity for UC Davis students to gain hands-on experience in filing tax returns and interacting with clients. We welcome students from all majors and build their financial literacy knowledge from the ground up.

Many of our alumni have leveraged this experience to launch successful careers at Big Four firms, as well as top companies like LinkedIn, Morgan Stanley, Intel and other leading tech firms.

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What Drew Me to Students in VITA?

When I started my undergraduate journey at UC Davis, I envisioned a career as a veterinarian. However, during my junior year with three internships of experience, I realized that veterinary medicine was not the right path for me, and I suddenly felt lost.

A general education requirement led me to my first accounting course, and I quickly found myself captivated by the field. During one of my previous veterinary internships, I often found myself interested in the balance between making services affordable for clients and ensuring the business had sufficient funds to operate. The accounting course I took not only answered those questions but also provided a deeper understanding of financial management.

During my accounting course, I found myself wondering “Where has this been my entire life?”. It was as though a light bulb went off𑁋this was the path meant for me.

I loved the fact there were strict rules to follow, such as debits always equaling credits or assets equaling liabilities plus stockholders’ equity. There is something satisfying about the order and logic behind accounting, where every transaction fits perfectly into place. It gave me a sense of clarity and I felt like I found my purpose again. After that, I spent the remainder of the year researching how to become an accountant.

This search led me to discover the UC Davis Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program. After attending an information session, I learned about the program and decided that it was the right choice for me.

I also recognized that gaining experience in accounting would be beneficial. I found out about Students in VITA through a Discord announcement in one of my accounting classes.

VITA appealed to me because it taught interns how to prepare taxes while giving back to the community. The chance to learn and contribute at the same time felt like the perfect fit for my new direction in life.

Leadership Opportunities

I am incredibly glad that I joined VITA. I have gained valuable experience and friendships through this internship. During the fall quarter of my senior year, I learned how to prepare taxes and then applied that knowledge during the winter and spring quarters by preparing client’s tax returns.

The personal stories I heard while helping people with their taxes were incredibly fulfilling, especially since it allowed me to engage with the community outside of campus life.

This experience opened my eyes to the real-world applications of accounting, sparking my passion for the field. When I decided to pursue the MPAc program, I knew I wanted to continue contributing to VITA in a bigger way, so I applied to become a co-site coordinator for this year.

The co-site coordinator role involves teaching interns how to prepare tax returns and organizing and running the tax sites. It is a significant responsibility, but it has been fulfilling to see VITA from a different perspective.

I’m proud to be part of a program that not only helps people with their taxes but also builds real-world skills for students like myself. I’m excited to announce that I’ve accepted a job offer at DHS Advisors and look forward to applying my skills in this new role.

Now, what type of site coordinator would I be if I did not promote our services? For more information about Students in VITA, please visit our website.