Service-Learning Initiative FAQs

When does SLI take place?
SLI Launch begins Wednesday evening, three days before students would normally move in, and ends on Friday afternoon. Check-in is before dinner on Wednesday evening, and students will be notified if/when accepted to the program when and where this will take place.

SLI Engage takes place over a weekend during spring semester, beginning on Friday evening and ending on Sunday afternoon.

If selected for SLI Launch, will I be staying with all the other participants in one residence hall?
No. Students will move into the residence hall that they have been assigned by the Office of Housing and Residential Education before SLI starts and stay in their own rooms during SLI.

What does the non-refundable program fee cover?
Each participant’s fee covers six meals (dinner on Wednesday, all meals on Thursday and breakfast and lunch on Friday), an SLI T-shirt, transportation to and from the service sites and social activities. The overall cost of SLI is supplemented by the APPLES Service-Learning program.

Do I have to go to all three community service sites?
Yes. Each participant is required to visit all three service sites and participate in all planned activities.

What kind of work will I be doing at the sites?
The community service each participant will be doing varies. Students may be outdoors or indoors and their work may entail gardening, cleaning or working directly with people connected to a community partner organization.

Can I move into my residence hall the night before SLI Launch starts?
No. Housing does not permit any SLI student to move in before the Wednesday on which the program begins.

What if my residence hall is under construction or will not open with the other residence halls? Can I still participate in SLI Launch?
Unfortunately, APPLES cannot move a student to another residence hall for the three days. Participants are welcome to apply to SLI but must contact the Office of Housing and Resident Education themselves to make alternative arrangements.

Can I participate in both SLI Launch and Carolina Kickoff?
No. Carolina Kickoff and SLI occur during the same time period, and unfortunately, students cannot participate in both. In 2016, Carolina Kickoff’s application process was before that of SLI, therefore, students accepted to Carolina Kickoff will have to confirm that admission before receiving information about an SLI application. To maintain fairness for all SLI applicants, no exceptions will be made for early SLI application decision.

If I participated in SLI Launch can I also participate in SLI Engage?
Sure! SLI Engage is open to any current students and it would be a great way to reconnect to the community after SLI Launch.

I have plans the weekend of SLI Engage – can I just attend part of the program?
No. We ask that all selected participants plan to attend the entirety of the weekend from check-in on Friday to the closing reflection and activity on Sunday.

Do I have to attend SLI to participate in other APPLES programs and activities?
No. All students are welcome to participate in any APPLES program regardless of whether they participated in SLI or not.

For additional questions, contact APPLES.

The Carolina Center for Public Service at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for its events and programs. If you need accommodations, please contact apples@unc.edu or call 919-962-0902. Every reasonable effort will be made to implement accommodations in an effective and timely manner.