Jennifer Keller, Accounting

An accounting major and criminology minor, Jennifer Keller is getting a head start on her accounting career through a United Way program that provides free tax assistance for low income taxpayers in need of help with filing their IRS forms.  As site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, Keller not only recruits and manages volunteers but participates as a preparer in the program herself, a task that, of course, requires her to be fully informed on current tax law.  United Way leaders praised her maturity, dedication, and excellent customer service.  The manager of the program pointed out that Keller “resolves questions by teaching other preparers how to do what needs to be done rather than simply doing it herself.”   She says she loves being able to apply what she is learning in the classroom in such a meaningful way.

She began volunteering for the VITA program after a tax internship she held at Crowe Horwath.  She says that the company treated her as if she were a “regular, full-time employee” and she really enjoyed completing tax returns and learning what it takes to become a leader in the workplace.  She was a top performer as an intern.  Crowe Horwath has not only extended an invitation for her to continue the internship for a second semester, but has also indicated that she would be able to become a full-time employee there upon completion of her master’s degree program.   She is slated to begin coursework for the Master’s of Accountancy degree next semester.