{"id":74572,"date":"2026-02-18T08:09:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T13:09:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=74572"},"modified":"2026-03-19T11:19:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T15:19:49","slug":"utc-accounting-students-help-chattanooga-community-through-vita-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/utc-accounting-students-help-chattanooga-community-through-vita-program\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC accounting students help Chattanooga community through VITA program"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"UTC

UTC accounting student Ainsley Henderson reviews tax documents with community member John MacNeil during a VITA tax assistance session at First Baptist Church of Chattanooga. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

Individuals and families face the stress of filing their taxes every year, some without much knowledge of resources for professional assistance. At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program helps relieve that burden while giving accounting students hands-on experience.<\/p>\n

The VITA program provides free tax preparation services to the Chattanooga community, particularly those who earn $70,000 or less annually. The VITA program is a national IRS initiative that began in 1970 to prevent low-income and older adults from being overcharged.<\/p>\n

According to Roland McIntyre, the program’s regional coordinator, VITA plays an important role in keeping money in local families’ pockets.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of paying someone $300 to $400 for tax preparation, we are giving people access to the refunds they should be receiving,\u201d McIntyre said. \u201cThat money goes right back into the Chattanooga community, which helps families put food on the table and pay their bills.\u201d<\/p>\n

UTC offers a course called Introduction to Tax Preparation, taught by Associate Professor Steve Davenport, that prepares students for the opportunity to volunteer with VITA. Students must complete IRS-certified training and pass four exams before working one-on-one with taxpayers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have to pass a total of four exams with at least an 80%,\u201d Davenport said, \u201cso they are legitimate tax professionals by the time they\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n

After certification, students volunteer at the First Baptist Church of Chattanooga VITA site\u2014within walking distance of the UTC campus\u2014or at other VITA sites, including rural locations.<\/p>\n

Davenport explained that the program’s impact has been significant.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, UTC students prepared just over 1,500 tax returns,\u201d he said. \u201cThe average refund was just over $1,000, and when you factor in tax preparation fees, we estimate the students brought about $2.5 million into the local community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UTC

UTC accounting student Alex Lacina speaks with a community member while assisting with tax preparation.<\/p><\/div>\n

According to accounting student Jacob Hamilton, a senior from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, the program offers him a learning experience that other classes do not.<\/p>\n

Hamilton joined VITA after hearing about it in one of his accounting classes. He said he was drawn to it because it would give him a chance to help people while also gaining practical skills. He acknowledged how intimidating taxes can be for the average person and how important it is to help people bridge the gap and better understand the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou study, take exams, and sometimes still feel like you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re doing,\u201d Hamilton said. \u201cThis gives real-life experience. You\u2019re actually helping someone, and that makes it click.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ainsley Henderson, a junior accounting major from Franklin, Tennessee, described how the program blends training with service and builds confidence within the student volunteers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou come in not knowing exactly what to expect, but you\u2019re guided every step of the way,\u201d she said. \u201cYou start by greeting clients, shadow experienced volunteers, and gradually learn how to complete returns yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henderson also explained that you learn gradually as you go and that you do not have to know everything immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ultimately just want to help people and then get pretty hands-on experience,\u201d she said. \u201cIt’s pretty nerve-wracking, but I know it will be a good experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

#\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 #\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 #\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 #\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 #\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 #<\/p>\n

Photo gallery by Angela Foster<\/h4>\n

On March 17 during spring break, Associate Professor Steve Davenport and students Xavier Willis, Lais Linares Robles and Tabitha Gross, accompanied MobileMOC\u2014UTC\u2019s mobile outreach health clinic\u2014to the Bradley Cleveland Senior Activity Center in Cleveland, Tennessee, to work with clients as part of the VITA tax preparation program.<\/p>\n

\"UTC <\/a>
Steve Davenport and Xavier Willis <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
Lais Linares Robles <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
Tabitha Gross <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Two <\/a>
Lais Linares Robles and Tabitha Gross <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
Xavier Willis <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
Tabitha Gross <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
Lais Linares Robles <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
Steve Davenport and Xavier Willis <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

Gary W. Rollins College of Business<\/a><\/p>\n

Department of Accounting<\/a><\/p>\n

IRS <\/a>Volunteer Income Tax Assistance<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Individuals and families face the stress of filing their taxes every year, some without much knowledge of resources for professional assistance. At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program helps relieve that burden while giving accounting students hands-on experience.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":74575,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,122424,3,122313,7712,57,64,8325,661],"tags":[126204,126691,126560,126744,123827,126689,122570,126690,126868,123828,125274,123829,126688,122569,126869,126687,125795,126867],"class_list":{"0":"post-74572","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-accounting","9":"category-community","10":"category-experiential-learning","11":"category-faculty-and-staff","12":"category-college-of-business","13":"category-news","14":"category-service","15":"category-students","16":"tag-ainsley-henderson","17":"tag-alex-lacina","18":"tag-audrey-bigham","19":"tag-bradley-cleveland-senior-activity-center","20":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","21":"tag-first-baptist-church-of-chattanooga","22":"tag-introduction-to-tax-preparation","23":"tag-jacob-hamilton","24":"tag-lais-linares-robles","25":"tag-leveraging-our-special-place-as-chattanoogas-university","26":"tag-mobilemoc","27":"tag-operating-with-excellence","28":"tag-roland-mcintyre","29":"tag-steve-davenport","30":"tag-tabitha-gross","31":"tag-vita","32":"tag-volunteer-income-tax-assistance","33":"tag-xavier-willis","34":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nUTC accounting students help Chattanooga community through VITA program | UTC News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Individuals and families face the stress of filing their taxes every year, some without much knowledge of resources for professional assistance. 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