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Student Spotlight: Jacob Kurmann

Posted on April 3, 2023 by MCOB Outreach
MCOB Outreach

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Student Spotlight:

Jacob Kurmann, a junior accounting major at MCOB, works in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Tax Program (VITA), earning course credits, while gaining invaluable professional experience.  The VITA program is a free service performed by upper-division accounting students fulfilling their internship requirements toward their bachelor’s degree.  

“Growing up, I was always good in my math classes… numbers always made sense to me,” Kurmann said. “So, when I got into college and took a couple of accounting classes, I fell in love.” 

Kurmann, a native of Pace, Florida, chose to come to the University of South Alabama because of the good things he learned about the university. “I chose South because, being from the Florida Panhandle, I heard I could get Alabama in-state tuition, it’s close to home, my older sister said it was great, so that’s where I decided to come,” he said. 

“My favorite classes have been any of the accounting classes I’ve taken. I took a finance class once, but I decided that path wasn’t for me,” he said. “I love the simplicity of accounting as presented to me by my professor, Mrs. Madden. The debits and credits have to be equal.”

Kurmann has prepared nearly 30 tax returns this semester, and there are still a few weeks to go before the tax deadline.  “Being able to help others is extremely rewarding to me,” he said. “I really like taxes, so I’m thinking that’s the direction I’d like to go. Next semester, I have a corporate accounting class, so I’ll see if I like that as much.” 

"After I graduate, I'm going to go for my master's in accounting. Following that, I will take my CPA exam and use the knowledge I have gained at South in the professional field of accounting.''

Kurmann's advice to incoming freshmen that love math, “I think if you're good with math, you should definitely take financial accounting (ACC 211) and see how you like it,” he said. 

When asked what he’s learned about taxes after working in the VITA program, Kurmann said “It’s one thing to learn about taxes in class, it’s another thing to do it, to physically plug in the numbers and see how things change.”  

Under the tutelage of accounting graduate student and VITA site manager, Margaret Bradford, Kurmann and other accounting students work in the VITA lab 3 days a week. 

“It’s been a great experience, and I plan on doing it next year as well,” he said.

The Mitchell College of Business VITA Program office is open Monday and Wednesday afternoons, and Saturdays. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit:  https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/mcob/accounting/vita.html 

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