IRS-certified San Francisco State students develop skills & serve the community through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Each year, approximately 100 San Francisco State students assist over 1,000 clients in preparing their income taxes as volunteers for the VITA program, a resource that provides professional services to Americans who are unable to afford tax preparation assistance. Our campus hosts one of the largest VITA programs in California, and has been ranked as a "Superior Chapter" by the Internal Revenue Service.
“The power of VITA is twofold," says Katherine Ketherington, Assistant Professor of Accounting and faculty advisor of VITA, "One, valuable work and service experience for students, and two, the VITA program gives back to the community in meaningful ways by generating $1 million in tax refunds to those who need it.”
VITA gives students professional experience and skills that can be applied long-term. Najma Shaean Malik, a current Accounting student, used her experience as a VITA site manager to open the door to new career opportunities. “VITA helped me strengthen skills in research, problem-solving, and communication," she says, "The knowledge and experience gained from VITA were also influential in helping me obtain a tax internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers.”
VITA's newest goal is to create an endowment for the program to cover expenses, including a grad student director and office expansion, in order to continue serving the community and providing opportunities for SF State students.