UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Edward Jenkins, professor of practice in accounting and professor-in-charge of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, has received the 2024 Faculty Outreach Award.
The award honors faculty who positively and substantially affect individuals, organizations or communities through problem solving or development as a result of extending their scholarship.
Nominators said Jenkins has greatly benefited the community through his leadership of Penn State’s VITA program, which offers tax assistance to low-income individuals as well as providing educational opportunities for Penn State students. Through VITA, he also recently developed an outreach program to assist student-athletes with issues related to the now permitted Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) income.
Volunteers at VITA annually help 650-850 individuals and families prepare and file their tax returns. It also provides tax services for many graduate students from the United States as well as abroad. Persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited-English speaking taxpayers also may qualify.
Nominators said the program saves low-income individuals about $150-$500 on filing taxes while ensuring accurate filings. This results in about $500,000 to $1 million in total tax refunds each year, most going to local residents.
VITA is also a great learning opportunity for Penn State students, nominators said. Roughly 40-65 IRS-certified student volunteers annually assist in the program.
“As a program, VITA is lucky to have Jenkins. In the classroom, he provides a wealth of knowledge in the accounting space, especially when it pertains to taxes and tax law,” a nominator said. “At the site, he is a familiar face that helps to explain the whys and why nots of tax returns. His attitude is infectious, and his passion is unmatched. He truly upholds the standards of not only VITA but also being a genuine ethical person.”
Jenkins also works with student athletes who can now claim income for use of their NIL. Jenkins quickly understood the host of tax challenges that could arise for student athletes and worked quickly to create solutions. He initiated contact with Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics to begin discussions about tax matters and risk factors, which led to an outreach education program for student-athletes about the tax matters arising from enhanced stipends and NIL income.
Nominators said Jenkins’ efforts will help student athletes comply with the law. It will also help Penn State create competitive recruitment and retention advantages for its student athletes.
“While college athletics is currently navigating an ever-changing environment, due to Dr. Jenkins’ valuable collaboration, we have made great strides in serving our student-athletes in their NIL endeavors from a financial perspective and an entrepreneurial standpoint, all while providing the space for them to learn and grow as young contributors to society,” a nominator said. “He identified a challenge we were presented with, contributed to building a solution, and allowed us to advance our opportunities that we provide within our department.”