Union College VITA team 2012

This year's Union College VITA students have set new standards of excellence.  All have passed both the basic and intermediate level IRS certification exam for VITA preparers in record-breaking time.   This is the first time ever that 100% of our students were intermediate level certified one full week before our VITA site officially opens.  All of them have also completed the core economics classes in intermediate microeconomics and econometrics.  Collectively, they bring a great deal of energy and a wonderful diversity of talents, interests, backgrounds, and perspectives to our service-learning class in tax policy and practice this year.    

First row in photo:

Katie Manko, senior majoring in Asian studies and economics, from Winchester, Massachusetts.

Yohanny Vargas, senior majoring in managerial economics, with a minor in anthropology, from Brooklyn, New York.  Yohanny's campus leadership roles include serving as president of Union's economics club as well as leading the Circulo Estudiantil Latino Americano (CELA).    She has interned at Merrill Lynch's Private Wealth Management division.  For more about Yohanny, see here.

Brian Karimi, senior majoring in economics and philosophy, from Hingham, Massachusetts.  Brian is on the editorial staff of Union's student newspaper, Corcordiensis.  His articles can be read here.

Lawrence Hung, senior majoring in economics, from Queens, New York.

Yiran Zhang, senior majoring in managerial economics, from Suzhou, China.

Dandan Zhang, junior majoring in arts, from China.

(Yiran and Dandan continue a wonderful tradition of Union VITA students from China, launched by Christina Yu Chen in 2009.)

Second row in photo:

Sam Solomon-O'Connell, junior majoring in managerial economics, from Suffern, in Rockland County, New York.  Sam spent the fall term on Union's term abroad in Belgium.

David Sorensen, junior majoring in economics, from Mount Kisco, New York.  David is the latest in a long dynasty of great members of the Union College swimming team to be part of our VITA program, starting with Ashley Braniecki in 2008, followed by Sarah Yergeau in 2010, and Andrea Marois in 2011.

Matt Petrone, junior majoring in economics, from Utica, New York.   Matt is a member of Union's basketball team, continuing a great tradition of excellence in juggling the demands of the basketball season and tax return preparation started by Lauren McCormick two years ago.

Habib Kamara, junior majoring in managerial economics, from Poughkeepsie, New York.

Colin Knox, junior majoring in economics.

Jigme Norbu, sophomore planning a double major in math and economics, with a minor in Japanese.  Jigme is from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

Jacob Berman, a senior majoring in psychology, from Scarsdale, in Westchester County, New York.