Too often, innovation in undergraduate education unfolds something like this: the latest, best idea is implemented by itself, as an add-on to existing curricular and cocurricular practice. While most of the student experience remains the same as it was before the innovation, the new idea offers a twist: a service learning class here, a learning…

Students must understand the "head" as well as the "heart" part of volunteering and service portion of their civic education--why they should be a part of their community, why they should act for the common good, and how participating in their community dovetails with participation in the democratic process. There are many…