Iona College Students Prepare Over 100 Income Tax Returns

It was a busy semester for students in Iona College’s Taxpayer Assistance Program as they ventured to “Learn Outside the Lines” and prepare income tax returns for 120 Bronx residents.

In keeping with the mission, vision and values of Iona College, participation in this program offered students valuable experience beyond the classroom as they honed their professional skills while giving back in service to the community.

Volunteering four Saturdays during the 2022 tax filing season, accounting seniors provided these services in partnership with N.Y. State Assemblyman Michael Benedetto ’69, ’72MS of the 82nd District.

Sessions were held remotely from the state-of-the-art LaPenta School of Business and led by the following students: Jack Boles ’22, Chan Wei ’22, Michael Mitrione ’22, Vicky Casolo ’22, Marianne Lopez ’22, Kristin Lumaj ’22 and Raul Peralta ’22. The LaPenta School of Business has partnered with Benedetto in this endeavor since 2014; the program is moderated and supervised by William A. Bottiglieri, JD, CPA, professor of accounting.

“I have been affiliated with Iona’s Taxpayer Assistance Program for many years since I worked as a volunteer in the late 1970s,” said Bottiglieri. “The challenging nature of preparing actual tax returns gave me the motivation to make tax a large part of my professional practice. As the current moderator of the program, I have seen the same ambition in our students. It is apparent that the students feel a great sense of pride for what they have accomplished.”