Every year, Texas MPA students learn accounting skills through hands-on community volunteerism through the Tax Practicum course. As an optional part of the curriculum, students complete 55 volunteer hours working with Community Tax Centers, a Foundation Communities program that partners with the Internal Revenue Service to implement the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for low-income filers. In 2016, students became part of the team that helped over 20,000 low-income households with free tax preparation services, resulting in over $34 million in refunds returned to the local economy.