President Erika D. Beck
California State University, Northridge
Through the world-class education we provide our students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, CSUN is an economic and social engine in the San Fernando Valley, transforming individuals and families in countless positive ways. One of the best examples of these life-changing opportunities is CSUN’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Clinic, which equips our accounting and taxation students – including students studying to be American Sign Language and Spanish interpreters – with real-life and hands-on experience at the dawn of their professional careers, while providing local communities with expert tax preparation they otherwise might not be able to afford.
For more than five decades, students from our David Nazarian College of Business and Economics have used skills and knowledge learned in our classrooms to serve low-income people from our surrounding communities at the CSUN VITA Clinic. Students provide free tax preparation services in-person or on a secure virtual platform throughout tax season – including this year’s extended filing period.
Operating at the nexus of experiential learning and community service, this year's CSUN VITA Clinic not only allowed more than 250 students to provide hands-on, real-world tax preparation supervised by our expert faculty, but also provided more than 8,500 of our low-income neighbors with a valuable tax preparation and financial coaching at no cost, ensuring they receive all the tax credits and refunds for which they qualify so they can build a brighter tomorrow for themselves and their families.
We are so proud that major funders like Wells Fargo Bank recognize the value of our program, even providing a $200,000 grant to expand our CSU5+ VITA Initiative. Wells Fargo's investment means there are now VITA clinics at other CSU campuses and community colleges providing tax preparation across vast areas in Southern California and beyond. Truly, what started at CSUN is now powering economic literacy and financial independence throughout our region and beyond.
All of us know that filing tax returns can be overwhelming, especially for those who are first-time filers or non-English speakers. So, to every Matador who volunteered their time and talent to our VITA Clinic, from our student tax preparers to our student interpreters, I thank you for your dedication to this critical effort in support of low-income tax-filers. I hope everyone realizes the tremendous value you provide in sharing the tax and accounting knowledge you gained here to help those in-need. You are empowering people for a future of financial independence.
Thank you also to Nazarian College Dean Chandra Subramaniam and Bookstein Chair in Taxation and Director of the Bookstein Institute for Higher Education in Taxation Rafi Efrat, for their continued leadership of our VITA Clinic. The transformative education you provide our students, and their service in turn to the community is a point of pride for all of us.