A hands-on, crash course in politics is available for free in coming weeks for any Lawrence resident who wants to take advantage of it.

Starting later this month, the Dole Institute of Politics will present public study sessions featuring the institute’s two fellows for the spring 2007 semester: Bob Holden, former governor of Missouri, and Scott Morris, who is in charge of Florida’s long-term hurricane recovery for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

A reception Thursday night at the Dole Institute welcomed the fellows to campus.

“We have a Republican and a Democrat every semester, and the main purpose is to bring political practitioners to campus to give students and other members of the community an opportunity to interact with them,” said Bill Lacy, who started the fellowship program when he became the institute’s director in 2004.

Each fellow leads a weekly study group at the institute with no reading or studying required.

“Anybody can come to this. It’s totally open,” Lacy said. “You don’t get credit, but you don’t have to study.”

The sessions usually last about an hour and 15 minutes.

Morris’ group, “The Politics of Disasters,” will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesdays starting Feb. 28. Scheduled guests include former FEMA director Michael Brown.

Holden’s group, “You Be the Governor,” will meet at 4 p.m. Thursdays starting March 1.

The sessions give students a chance to network and get involved outside the classroom.

KU student Rebekah Romm, a junior from Bennington, took part in a Fall 2005 study group on political advertising with political strategist Paul Curcio. This semester, she’s coordinating both study groups.

“Every student we’ve been able to recruit just has a blast and comes back,” she said.