Learning by Doing

Engaged learning is a key component of a North Central College education, regardless of major. Undergraduate research projects and service to the community are examples of opportunities that enable students to apply their knowledge and skills outside the classroom, often in collaboration with peers and faculty.

Mentored undergraduate research

Known to students primarily as a professor of German, Dr. Gregory Wolf has another interest beyond his language classes: He is an authority on baseball’s influence and history.

Last academic year, Wolf selected Victoria Monte ’24 to assist with his research for the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), a membership organization focused on the intersection of baseball, history, culture and analytics. Monte is majoring in sport management. “From her writing, critical thinking and class participation, I thought Victoria would be an excellent candidate to collaborate on research focusing specifically on baseball and society,” he said.

Their academic writing project culminated in three peer-edited, fact-checked and copyedited essays that Wolf and Monte co-authored and SABR published last year. Each essay is about the Chicago Cubs in the 1960s. “It was fun to research. I’m from New York, but I’m a Chicago sports fan,” said Monte. “To become a published author as an undergraduate, while connecting two things I love — sports and academia — was a pretty incredible experience.” and responding directly to feedback from peers who reviewed their work. Wolf said, “As the director of undergraduate research, I believe students in all disciplines should have the chance to collaborate with faculty members on mentored undergraduate research

To become a published author as an undergraduate, while connecting two things I love sports and academia was a pretty incredible experience.”

Wolf was also Monte’s advisor for a presentation about the cultural footprint of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees. She will present her findings on the Yankees at the 2023 National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Monte collaborated with Wolf on researching subjects and writing, revising, and scholarship. These opportunities enrich the students’ educational experience, prepare them professionally and academically for their career, develop real-life transferable skills and cultivate a deeper understanding of their disciplines.”

During the height of tax season, a group of North Central students spent their Saturdays volunteering at a community center where low- and moderate-income individuals and families can walk in — without an appointment — and get free, expert help with completing and filing their tax returns.

The students work to help each client claim every tax credit, deduction and benefit they are eligible to receive. Doing so helps maximize the client’s tax refund — often the single biggest check they will receive all year. The refund can make it possible to catch up on rent, get car repairs, pay medical bills or cover other necessities.

“Once they hear the refund amount, you can see happiness in the clients’ faces,” said Karen Campbell, CPA, a half-time assistant professor of accounting in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship. “That total is really important to their finances.”

North Central participates in the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Studentvolunteers receive training and must pass a test to be certified as tax preparation experts. For the 2023 tax season, 26 North Central students were certified. Assisting with the training process is John Mann, who serves on the advisory board for Ladder Up. The nonprofit organization provides free tax preparation services at sites throughout the Chicago area. Mann became involved with Ladder Up when his sons, Peter ’14 and Alex ’14, were accounting and finance majors at North Central. Now retired after a career in public accounting and corporate finance, he says the volunteer experience is invaluable. “Students gain experience acting in a client-facing role,” he said. “They also network with other volunteers at the community sites, including career professionals from accounting and legal firms.”

The opportunity to help with tax preparation is open to all majors, though most of the student-volunteers are accounting majors who have taken Campbell’s course ACCT 330 Principles of Taxation. That is the case for Molly Whitlock ’23, president of the North Central Student Accounting Society, which encourages students to volunteer with Ladder Up.

“This experience will not only help them grow as people, but they also will have something to talk about in interviews — gaining one-on-one client experience, working with a team and being able to apply your training to have an impact on the community,” Whitlock said.

Campbell stresses that the last benefit is most important. “We want students to realize that, as accountants, they have a skill that can help other people and directly impact someone’s life. Volunteers learn so much more than how to file a tax return. It’s a way to really give back — to be a force for good.”