The College of Arts and Sciences will introduce a new on-campus program for Spring 2006.

The APPLE program, also known as the Applied Public Policy Learning Experience, is a two-year learning experience for select freshmen and sophomore students.

The program is an academic and service-learning community designed to give students a better understanding of government and public policy.

Patrick Kerrigan, assistant director of the APPLE program, said students will be able to study and gain work experience together through this new program.

“The program will be open to any student that wants to learn more about politics and public policy,” Kerrigan said. “APPLE will provide a learning environment that supports student success and competitively recruit and retain students interested in public service regardless of their particular academic disciplines.”

APPLE was designed to mirror the Columbus and Washington programs that are already in place with the Department of Political Science.

Vernon Sykes, director of the Columbus Program in Intergovernmental Issues, said APPLE will have its own identity, even though it is modeled after the other programs.

Students will learn about local governments and gain work experience while working on the degrees of their choice, Sykes said.

“The number one goal of the APPLE program is to teach, discuss and research governments in America and learn about local politics,” Sykes said. “This program will be unique because students will get credit for off-campus activities and will take evening field trips to give students exposure to the different types of local governments and politics they will be studying.”

Approximately 25 students will be able to participate in the program each year. Students will study and work in internships that will help them with their individual majors.

Students can sign up for the APPLE program at the Department of Political Science or Student Advisory office in the College of Arts and Sciences.

For more information, contact the College of Arts and Sciences (330) 672-2650 or Department of Political Science (330) 672-2060.

Contact College of Arts & Sciences reporter Ryan Knight at [email protected].