A former lyricist for the Grateful Dead, the commander of U.S. forces in Bosnia and five other public figures with similarly diverse backgrounds shared their personal perspectives on politics last night at the Study Groups Open House at the Institute of Politics (IOP).

The speakers, who are spring fellows at the IOP, spoke before a crowd of about 100 students and community members yesterday in the ARCO Forum at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The panel discussion on politics followed an information session where students ate pizza, milled around the floor of the Forum and spoke individually with the fellows.

Each fellow will lead a weekly study group on political and social issues during the semester. Most study groups will last for eight weeks.

During the panel discussion the fellows spoke about their personal experiences in public service and encouraged students to consider similar careers.

Dan C. Schnur, formerly director of communications for California Governor Pete Wilson, said the excitement of political life enticed him to enter campaign work right after graduating from college.

"I've worked on campaigns ever since I've been out of school," Schnur said. "It's the most fun a young person can have."

Schnur's study group will focus on the social and cultural trends of California politics, including tax cuts and environmental issues, and will attempt to demonstrate that California serves as a microcosm for the rest of the country.

Another IOP fellow, John K. Bullard '69, formerly the mayor of New Bedford, said the personal interaction he had with the residents of his city was the most rewarding part of his experience in public service.

"What I found best about [public service] is what you learn about people and about your community. It's the best education you can get," Bullard said.

Thomas R. Snider, a first-year student at the Law School, said he was impressed by the varied backgrounds of the fellows. He added that the open house helped him to decide which study group to attend.

"I think seeing the [fellows] themselves made a real difference in choosing what study group I would take," Snider said. "It gave a personality to the study group."

The event not only gives students a chance to learn about the fellows, but it also gives the fellows a chance to meet the students they will be interacting with over the semester, said C.J. Mahoney '00, chair of the Study Groups Committee at the IOP and one of the organizers of the open house.

"The fellows are here to meet students, and this is the first time they have the opportunity to do so en masse," Mahoney said.

William L. Nash, a retired major general in the U.S. Army, said that he is looking forward to interacting with students throughout his semester at Harvard. He will be leading a study group on current global conflicts involving the military.