For George Tsoflias ’13, serving the less fortunate through the VITA program is one of the reasons he loves Saint Joseph’s University.

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) provides tax preparation services to the less fortunate across the Unites States. For Saint Joseph’s students, it offers an opportunity for hands-on experiential learning — filing tax returns and learning basic tax law —- while keeping with the university’s mission to be 'men and women for others'.

“It’s a really great way to use what we learn in the classroom to benefit others,” said the sophomore accounting major.

VITA is administered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is made available to low-income, limited-English-proficient families and the elderly through community, faith-based and educational organizations.

Founded at Saint Joseph’s in 1993 by W. Richard Sherman, Ph. D., professor of accounting, the VITA program requires a one-night-a-week student commitment of 3-4 hours spanning 12 weeks from January to April.

For Tsoflias, the VITA program not only provided the learning experience of an additional course, but it also afforded him the opportunity to connect with other accounting students and realize his education outside the walls of the Erivan K. Haub School of Business.

“To have this opportunity to use your major and what you’re learning to benefit others outside of our community is a really awesome opportunity,” he said. “It’s great and I loved it.”

By donating to The Saint Joseph’s Fund, alumni contribute to the financial, emotional and educational support that allows programs like VITA to function and provide opportunities to students such as George Tsoflias. You can impact current and future students of Saint Joseph’s by making a gift today.

- Liam Leyden '12