February 11, 2019 | ||||||
Accounting Students Gaining Tax Preparation Experience while Serving Community Hollywood City Commission Recognizes Barry in Black History Month Proclamation Miami-Dade County’s Black History Month Celebration Includes Exhibition Community Arts Project Instills Notion of Justice as Seed Planted Within Individuals Community Engagement Symposium to Feature Student Poster Competition Deliberative Dialogue: Focus of February Forum is Florida’s Opioid Epidemic College Brides Walk to Raise Awareness of Dating Violence Takes Place this Friday Community Service Positions Available through Federal Work-Study Program
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Accounting Students Gaining Tax Preparation Experience while Serving Community
Federal Income Tax is a Designated Service-Learning Course
Barry University’s Andreas School of Business is offering income tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Free income tax preparation is provided for individuals and families with an annual income of $55,000 or less. Community members, as well as Barry employees and students, can have their tax returns prepared by accounting students and faculty serving at Barry’s VITA site.
The accounting students are enrolled in Federal Income Tax, a designated service-learning course taught by Dr. Kevin Kemerer, associate professor of accounting and coordinator of the VITA site. They have been learning the tax code and the fundamentals of tax preparation as they prepare to serve at the VITA site, which opened its doors last Saturday (February 9) to serve the public.
The students prepare federal and state tax returns while taxpayers are present. Kemerer supervises the students, and all returns are reviewed before filing, which is usually done electronically.
“It is always a challenge to get students to the basic level as fast as possible,” said Kemerer, who is in his sixth year as the VITA site coordinator. “However, by early March, they are much better versed in taxes.”
Income-tax preparation is provided by appointment only. Service is provided on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Powers 139 and Mondays between 4 and 8 p.m. in Andreas 105. To make a two-hour appointment, visit the Barry VITA scheduling page <https://barryvita.as.me/>.
Barry’s VITA site will remain in operation until Monday, April 15.
Last year, local community members realized increased savings and income, thanks to the tax preparation assistance provided by Barry accounting students and faculty. The tax preparers submitted 94 e-files for the 2017 tax year.
Individuals and families were expected to receive refunds from the IRS totaling over $110,000. They saved nearly $20,000 by taking advantage of the free tax preparation service provided at the Barry VITA site.
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Hollywood City Commission Recognizes Barry in Black History Month Proclamation
At its meeting on February 6, the Hollywood City Commission issued a proclamation of Black History Month in which it recognized Barry University as a partner.
February is Black History Month, and Barry’s Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) is supporting the City of Hollywood’s African American Advisory Council in organizing the celebration. CCSI Executive Director Dr. Glenn Bowen attended the Hollywood City Commission meeting.
Commissioner Caryl S. Shuham read the proclamation. In it, Mayor Josh Levy and the six other commissioners commented on the month’s theme, “Black Migrations.” They noted that many influential African Americans who have migrated to Florida from other states and other countries have made “a significant impact” on the culture of this state.
The Black History Month celebration in the City of Hollywood includes a panel discussion and a spoken-word competition billed as “Poetry Slam.”
Tomorrow (February 12), Dr. Tisa McGhee, an associate professor in Barry’s School of Social Work, will make a presentation on “Black Migration Patterns.” McGhee is a member of the Miami-Dade County Black Affairs Advisory Board and the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust. Her presentation will precede the panel discussion.
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Miami-Dade County’s Black History Month Celebration Includes Exhibition
The Miami-Dade County Black Affairs Advisory Board opened its Black History Month exhibition on February 1 at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, downtown Miami. Board member Dr. Tisa McGhee of Barry’s School of Social Work attended the event.
The exhibits include “Vessels 2019: Women of Substance” and “Triumphant Spirits 2019: African American Men.”
All exhibits will remain in the east lobby of the Stephen P. Clark Center, open to the public during business hours until February 28.
February is Black History Month. The Miami-Dade County Black Affairs Advisory Board, along with various community-based organizations, is hosting several events to pay homage to the African-American Diaspora while observing the national theme, “Black Migrations.”
The theme, provided by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, draws attention to the worldwide migration of peoples of African descent.
For a detailed calendar of events, visit the Miami-Dade County Black Affairs website <www.miamidade.gov/advocacy/black-affairs-home.asp>.
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Community Arts Project Instills Notion of Justice as Seed Planted Within Individuals
“Blossoming connections as we plant the seeds of social justice in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” That was the theme of a Community Arts Project on Barry’s MLK Day of Service last month.
Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte, associate professor of social work, organized and facilitated the post-service project as a guided reflection activity on campus.
Barry students and youth served by Miami’s Gang Alternative took part in the Community Arts Project.
The participants viewed the text of King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” as they listened to the compelling reading in the voices of civil rights activists. Then they wrote words on pods provided – words evoked by the reading of King’s letter.
As LaPorte pointed out, the pods contained symbolic “seeds of life.”
Next, the participants glued the pods with words on a canvas, creating “a single flower of life representing an expansive community of social justice born of love.”
After groups of volunteers engaged in collaborative service at community sites, they got together for lunch provided by the Office of Student Life. Then it was time for reflection.
The participants reflected on inclusivity and social justice in the context of service. As they read one another’s words, they were inspired to write their own.
According to LaPorte, “this very personal and collective experience was an elaboration of the power of being uniquely part of a community coming together in solidarity around the idea of justice in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Asha Starks, an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) member assigned to the CCSI, coordinated MLK Day of Service. Kamilah Van, her counterpart in the Office of Mission Engagement, assisted with project coordination.
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Community Engagement Symposium to Feature Student Poster Competition
A Student Poster Competition will be a feature of the Community Engagement Symposium next month. The purpose of the competition is to showcase and recognize students’ course-based and co-curricular work in the context of Barry’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).
Entries for the competition will be displayed during the Poster Session. Although any student, faculty, and staff member may participate in the Poster Session, the competition will be open only to undergraduates.
Representatives of Barry’s Community Advisory Committee will serve as judges. They will use such criteria as content, relevance, and visual appeal to assess the entries.
“Bringing Learning to Life through Community Engagement” is the theme of the sixth annual Community Engagement Symposium, which will be held on March 27 on Barry’s main campus.
Barry’s QEP is focused on personal and social responsibility through experiential learning. “Community engagement and collaboration” is one of the three categories of QEP learning outcomes.
For additional information on the Poster Session, including the Student Poster Competition, contact Daniqua Williams, QEP project coordinator, at qep@barry.edu or 305-899-3696.
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Deliberative Dialogue: Focus of February Forum is Florida’s Opioid Epidemic
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared a national opioid epidemic in 2017, prompting then Governor Rick Scott to declare a state of Public Health Emergency in Florida. According to the Florida Behavioral Health Association, opioids are to blame for 10 deaths each day in the state.
Against that background, the Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) will host a forum in the Deliberative Dialogue Series on February 21.
Community experts, students and alumni, and faculty and staff members will participate in the forum. The 90-minute forum is slated for Andreas 112, beginning at 4 p.m.
For additional information, contact CCSI Associate Director Courtney Berrien at cberrien@barry.edu or 305-899-4017.
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College Brides Walk to Raise Awareness of Dating Violence Takes Place this Friday
The ninth annual College Brides Walk, which is part of a campaign to raise awareness about dating and domestic violence, will take place this Friday (February 15).
The four-hour event will begin at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony in the Broad Auditorium on Barry’s main campus.
College Brides Walk commemorates the death of Gladys Ricart, who was murdered by an ex-boyfriend on her wedding day in 1999.
Each year, hundreds of college and high school students, faculty and staff, and community members take part in the event, highlighted by the walk from Barry’s campus to Johnson and Wales University in North Miami.
“Studies show that American women are twice as likely to suffer domestic abuse than breast cancer,” said Dr. Laura Finley, a College Brides Walk organizer. “We want to raise awareness about domestic abuse to end the vicious cycle of violence.”
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Community Service Positions Available through Federal Work-Study Program
Students eligible for Federal Work-Study are urged to apply for community service positions. Such positions include membership in the Barry Service Corps.
The Barry Service Corps is a civic engagement program designed to foster commitment to service by providing meaningful opportunities for students to support local agencies and institutions working to address social concerns. Members become acquainted with issues affecting local communities while they gain valuable workplace experience.
The CCSI coordinates Federal Work-Study Community Service in partnership with the offices of Financial Aid and Human Resources.
For further information, contact Brittney Morales, coordinator of Federal Work-Study Community Service, in the CCSI at 305-899-3696.
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