Movements calling for reform in undergraduate education and the initiative for civic responsibility are traced, demonstrating that they have mutual concerns and self-interests. Though largely separate from and unknown to each other, their complementarity provides the basis for joint action. By integrating efforts to increase student involvement in public service with liberal arts curricular reforms which promote active learning and critical thinking, it may be possible to establish a model of undergraduate education that promotes the development of responsible and intelligent citizens. Four sections focus on the following: the context of change in higher education; liberal arts education and public and community service--distinct yet complementary traditions (the liberal arts perspective and the public and community service learning perspective); the opportunity: to integrate the complementary perspectives of liberal arts education and public and community service learning to improve undergraduate education; and faculty are the keys to linking service and the curriculum. Drawing from and combining what has been learned from effective community service, substantive experience-based learning, assessment of liberal learning outcomes, and institutionalization of curricular innovations and teaching improvements, it may be possible to establish a means of effectively integrating public and community service-based learning into the liberal arts curriculum. (SM)