APPLES Director Resigns

APPLES, which stands for Assisting People in Planning Learning Experiences in Service, is a program that combines academic coursework with community service.

When Morrison arrived at UNC, the program offered only three courses per semester.

Members said that under Morrison's guidance the program has boomed to an impressive 40 classes per year, an achievement that couldn't have been made without Morrison's efforts.

"(APPLES) has always been a student-run and student-coordinated program, but Mary provided APPLES with purpose and vision," said Karine Dube, student president of APPLES.

Over the years, Morrison helped establish permanent funding for the program using state revenue, student fees and other sources. She also expanded the summer internship program to include the spring.

"(Morrison) tried to bring together students, faculty and the community in this mission toward service and service learning," Dube said.

During Morrison's term, APPLES started new service-learning programs such as Alternative Fall and Spring Breaks, the Robert E. Bryan Fellowships, and the First-Year Student Outreach Initiative.

Morrison said her years with APPLES allowed her to become familiar with the interests of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community, knowledge that she plans to apply at her new post as a Continuing Education Program specialist at the Friday Center.

"Through my work with APPLES, I feel like I really heard what community members have been needing and wanting," she said.

In her new position, Morrison will come up with non-credit courses on various issues of interest to community members, citing the latest medical research, North Carolina history and the progress of the Latino community as just some of her ideas.

"(The classes) are aimed at community members -- people 19 and older who want to engage in educational programs but are not working for the grade, just for their own personal enrichment," Morrison said. "I'm excited and very energized by this new possibility."

But leaving APPLES for her new position is bittersweet, Morrison said.

"I'll be sad to leave the students," she said. "But I'll have continued opportunity to work with (UNC) faculty and staff there. I'm taking my Rolodex with me."

A committee of faculty, students and representatives from nonprofit organizations that APPLES works closely with will select the new director this fall.

APPLES Assistant Director Jenny Huq will act as interim director until then. Huq's main concern for this semester is maintaining APPLES' current level of performance, she said.

"I think during the transition time, it will be really important for us to focus on maintaining our strengths ... (and) managing our growth so that we still come out on top," Huq said.

She eventually plans on looking into the structure of APPLES and expanding it to include graduate students and working outside the state.

Morrison said that despite her absence, she isn't worried about the future of APPLES.

"I know that APPLES is strong and going to thrive," she said. "It is a permanent part of the University, and I think that it's going to continue to grow."

A farewell reception in Morrison's honor will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday in the Art Gallery of the Student Union. The reception and a short program at 2:30 p.m. are open to the public.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.