Glossary
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board is comprised of faculty members, university administrators, community partners, and students who work with APPLES organizers and staff in developing ideas and projects. This group provides great insight to both the requirements of the academic experience, as well as the needs of the community.
Alternative Break Programs
Alternative Break Programs occur during fall, winter and spring breaks, which provide an avenue for students to perform service activities across North Carolina and throughout the region. Student leaders lead each group on the trip.
APPLES
(Assisting People in Planning Learning Experiences in Service)
APPLES is a student-led program that builds sustainable, service-learning partnerships among students, faculty and communities in North Carolina and beyond. By engaging all partners in an enriched, community-based curriculum, our experiential programs foster socially aware and civically involved students.
Community Partners
Community Partners are non-profit or governmental organizations throughout the surrounding communities where students volunteer as part of their academic curriculum.
Community Service
Service that is conducted in the community and does not have a structured academic component. Although student learning may occur through such service, it does not have the tie to or the focus on academic curriculum that service-learning produces.
Core Connections Breakfast
Core Connections Breakfast occurs at the beginning of each semester, allowing APPLES faculty, staff, and community partners to come together for an informational APPLES orientation as well as a networking opportunity.
Course Enhancement and Support Grants
Grants are designed to fund supplementary materials for enhancement projects in service-learning courses. Grants of up to $1,000 are available each semester. They may be used for items such as books and supplies, conference registration and travel, field trips, and presentations.
"Fruits of Our Labor:" Annual Showcase Celebration
Fruits of Our Labor is a tradeshow-style event that showcases the annual accomplishments of APPLES programs. Along with presenting awards to honored faculty members and community partners, this event allows all involved with APPLES or interested in learning more to have a broad overview of the program.
Interns
APPLES interns are provided with a unique, intense experience in service for either the spring semester or summer break. Students intern at a variety of nonprofit and governmental agencies, earning a stipend and 3 hours of academic course credit.
Organizers
Organizers are students who volunteer as committee chairs and members for the various programs that APPLES offers. APPLES is student-run, so these organizers are the ones who shape the various programs.
Reflection
Reflection is often defined by APPLES as the hyphen between “service” and “learning”. Reflection sessions are an integral part of the service-learning process, as they provide a means to combine what a service-learning volunteer is learning through their academic coursework with what is being gained from their community service.
- A method by which students learn through active participation in thoughtfully organized service.
- An activity conducted in, and meeting the needs of the community.
- A program integrated into and enhancing academic curriculum, which includes a structured time for reflection and helps foster civic responsibility.
Service-Learning Courses
Courses that incorporate a service-learning component into their curricula. Typically, students in these courses volunteer 3-5 hours a week with a community partner in the Triangle area for 10 weeks. Reflection sessions are also incorporated into these courses to complete the link between “service” and “learning”.
Service-Learning Initiative
The Service-Learning Initiative is a program that gives incoming first-year students the opportunity to move in early to participate in service projects over a span of two days. Each student visits three different sites to participate in community service projects over the course of the two-day program.
Service-Learning Volunteer
One who learns through active participation in a structured service program with academic components. Service is used in this way to enhance an academic curriculum, providing the student with a deliberate time for reflection that connects the service and the academic learning.
Site Supervisor
The supervisor at a non-profit or governmental organization who serves as a contact person for APPLES to work with on service-learning projects.
Social Entrepreneur Fellowships
Social Entrepreneur Fellowships allow students to address community needs by designing innovative public service projects. Over the course of an academic year, students work with a faculty advisor to earn course credit implement their service project.
Ueltschi Course Development Grants
Ueltschi Grants are awarded to faculty members to develop innovative undergraduate courses that integrate community service into the traditional academic setting. Ueltschi Grants provide $8,000 in monetary support as well as training for faculty members to develop these courses.
