Since the fall of 2001, Muhlenberg has run a polling institute that rivals some of the nation’s most prestigious public research centers. The Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion adheres to the high standards set by the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), training all institute personnel to follow the rigorous practices of quality scientific research. Under the direction of institute director Dr. Christopher P. Borick, associate professor of political science, the polling institute has built an impressive reputation, upholding long-standing partnerships with governmental, media, and research organizations.

Student Centered from the Start

While Borick is at the helm of it all, he’s the first to say it’s all about the students. And in fact, that is what makes Muhlenberg’s polling institute unique. While other schools run such programs, their involvement in outside polling work has allowed them to drift into a separate entity. But at Muhlenberg, it’s remained embedded into the core of the institution, says Borick. “The Institute has become a cornerstone of my courses,” he explains. “Courses are intertwined with work at the Institute. And as is the nature of Muhlenberg as a whole, the institute remains about the students. When we developed our mission we decided that it would always be a student-centered enterprise. It’s not just a polling institute with the college name on it. It is largely student run with them handling almost every aspect of the operation.”

That means that students manage the lab, handle the calling, help with data analysis and even manage payroll. Regardless of whether students pursue a career in research or political science, they are learning real world skills that are applicable to any future endeavors. A number of past staff members have gone on to careers in academics, research and industry. But Borick says that while most students aren’t doing public opinion as the main focus of their career, their work at the polling institute has paid off in terms of management and business skills.

For Sarah Niebler ’04, a political science and philosophy double major, her experience at the polling institute has strongly paid off and helped shape her decision to pursue academic political science as a career. Following Muhlenberg, Niebler got her master’s at Lehigh in the Community Fellows program and took a job in Nashville as a research assistant doing public health research. Now she’s finishing up her Ph.D. in political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She’s soon headed back to Nashville to do a one-year postdoc at Vanderbilt University in the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions. Niebler says that her time spent working at the institute helped her realize that researching politics via public opinion polls could be a career.

“Working at the polling institute helped me gain the statistical and quantitative research skills necessary to pursue a Ph.D. in the field of political science,” continues Niebler. “Students and faculty are so lucky to have the polling institute on campus as it allows both groups to conduct research in a way that many larger colleges and universities don’t even have access to.”

Work at the polling institute has also led current student Michael Wiener ’12, a history major and art history minor, to pursue a future career in research. Having begun as a caller at the polling center in 2009, during his junior year Wiener was invited to join the staff of managers that help oversee the calling center. “We deal with time cards, training employees, making sure student workers keep up their productivity, and daily troubleshooting,” Wiener explains.

After working as a manager for a year, Wiener was asked by Borick to become a research analyst, a position normally given to a Lehigh graduate student. Wiener says the student is expected to work approximately 15 hours a week for Borick and helps develop survey instruments as well as compiling, analyzing, and assisting Borick in the publication of the results. It has been these experiences that have led Wiener to choose pursuit of a research career.

“I have a great enjoyment for research and am looking for a job next year either continuing the type of research I’ve learned at the polling institute or combining it with my history research for a job that requires both quantitative and qualitative results,” says Wiener.

Finding a Niche

From its inception, one of the key goals of the polling institute was to find a niche. Borick says that the effort was to not just “repeat the same polls others were already doing but to instead do research that could really make a contribution.” That contribution has always been focused on bettering students’ education and their understanding of public opinion and research—but also about helping those in government and non-profits to do their jobs better by the provision of comprehensive data. Over the years, the polling institute has continued to meet that goal. One of the ways it has managed to carve out a niche has been with a focus on public opinion and environmental policy.

“We focus our national polls in this area, especially on issues related to climate change,” explains Borick. “We’ve partnered with the Brookings Institution [a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington D.C.] as a means of releasing our findings and for some of that work have received national attention.”

The value behind the research performed is something that the institute puts an emphasis on. “We realize we’re not going to be all things to all people,” admits Borick. “We’re not the Pew Research Center and we’re not Gallup. We recognize that we’re not a huge entity that can poll all matters all the time. So what we do poll, we want to be the best at. That’s why we focus our efforts on Pennsylvania politics and policy and our national research on climate and energy matters.”

Though the 2004 elections positioned ‘Berg’s Institute of Public Opinion as a media darling, it was the 2008 election where the organization’s popularity exploded. Polls were quoted extensively, and Borick became a go-to guy for the media once it became clear that Pennsylvania – and the Lehigh Valley, in particular – were areas crucial to the Presidential race. Because of Muhlenberg’s geography and the Institute’s reputation, the College was fortunate enough to host amazing politicians on the campaign trail: former President Bill Clinton, campaigning for his wife, Hillary; as well as future President Barack Obama and future Vice President Joe Biden.

The institute has also continuously found ways to plug into other scholarly endeavors being undertaken by the college and its students.

Borick says that they’re always trying to connect the research at the institute to what’s going on around campus and to give students and faculty opportunities for involvement. For instance, the institute has worked with Hillel as well as students of the Dana honors program. Students and professors have even had the opportunity to get a question or two of their own onto a survey in order to help facilitate some of their personal research. “The idea that we can merge what we’re doing at the institute with the academic mission of our students and operations has always been a priority,” says Borick. “We’re always looking for ways to branch out and connect with the college as a whole.”

Building a Name

While the institute’s research has continually shown up in print and television media, Borick says it was the 2004 presidential election cycle where the center really proved itself as what he calls a “real player in public opinion research.”

“The 2004 presidential election was the first time we had the chance to go big time,” says Borick. “We wanted to make sure we got it right and we worked very hard. When Pennsylvania became a crucial state in that election, I can remember a moment when CBS News came down to our lab to talk to us and the Washington Post showed up on campus to hear our results—and it was on the front page of the paper. That was a neat moment for us. Thanks to the work of a lot of good people, we nailed the election. We said a two-point win in Pennsylvania for John Kerry and low and behold we were right. It showed how our hard work paid off.”

Niebler was one of the students involved in research work during the election. She helped organize several large survey projects including a real-time debate evaluation project where people were brought to campus to watch one of the presidential debates between Bush and Kerry. After each debate question and set of responses by the candidates, the participants were surveyed about how they thought the candidate performed.

“I also helped coordinate the exit poll after the 2004 general election,” adds Niebler. “We sent Muhlenberg students all over precincts in Lehigh County and had them complete surveys with voters on their way out of the polling station. In doing this, we had some really early data about how different demographic groups voted in the election.”

More recently, senior Sarah Ochocki ’12, says she found the exit polls during the 2008 election very exciting. In fact, she says that a number of the surveys she’s been involved in have been interesting. “We’ve done surveys on gambling, quality of life, natural gas drilling, and lots of other subjects that affect the Lehigh Valley,” says Ochocki. “It’s very interesting to hear what people have to say on certain issues and just as interesting to hear the crazy stories they have to tell. My co-workers and I have spent many hours speaking to people who are living through the ‘Second Depression’ of their lifetime or who are fighting to keep their immigrant same-sex partner in the country – or even who work in a Senator’s office and have witnessed corruption first hand.”

The idea that we can merge what we’re doing at the institute with the academic mission of our students “and operations has always been a priority.” -Chris Borick  

Ochocki, who is a theatre major and philosophy minor got involved with the polling institute when an upperclassman told her it was a great place for a non-work student job. She had no experience in political science but decided to give it a try. She credits the experience for making her increasingly up to date on current events. “I never used to watch the news or read the papers, but since I started working at the polling center I have a newfound understanding of how important it is to keep abreast of current events,” she says. “I have enjoyed becoming more involved in the political scene and getting to know what is going on in our country and across the world.

College students tend to remove themselves from the political sphere with the mindset that they don’t matter or that nothing they can do changes anything and that’s just not true. Twenty-somethings are a huge demographic in the voting pool and in the world of activism our participation can make all the difference.”

At first glance, Muhlenberg College, a private liberal arts institution, and Lutron, a privately held corporation and pioneer in the lighting control industry, may not seem to have much in common. However, digging just a little deeper uncovers a surprising number of similarities – and an even more amazing amount of connections.

In the late 1950s, Lutron founder Joel Spira was a young physicist living in Manhattan with his wife, Ruth. He had a “radical” idea about inventing a device that would allow people to control the intensity of light in their homes and began experimenting with this notion in the guest room of their apartment. Meanwhile, in Allentown, Pa., something “radical” was going on at Muhlenberg College as well. In 1957, the College took a bold step forward by admitting women to the formerly all-male institution. The world would be impacted by both decisions.

When Joel Spira decided to establish his company headquarters in Coopersburg, Pa. – a community that was then mostly farmland and is still quite rural – it created another connection between Muhlenberg and Lutron: their location in the beautiful Lehigh Valley. Although Muhlenberg has been a longer resident, the Lutron tie to the Lehigh Valley dates prior to the appearance of their physical footprint in Coopersburg: Joel’s wife Ruth’s maiden name is Rodale. (Headquartered in Emmaus, Pa., Rodale publishes Prevention and Men’s Health, among many other magazines and books.) The Rodale connection not only influenced the decision to establish Lutron as a company in the Lehigh Valley, but also provided a manufacturing facility for the young company to use in its first years of business.

In addition to seeking a home for his company, Joel Spira was concerned with building the character of his organization. To that end, he developed five principles:

I. Take care of the customer. II. Take care of the company. III. Take care of the people. IV. Innovate with high quality products. V. Deliver value to the customer.

A focus on – and commitment to – its people are values Lutron shares with Muhlenberg College. Both organizations are extremely mission driven, and their missions are centered around a whole-person approach to work and education.

The Muhlenberg/Lutron mission connection is perhaps best appreciated by a particular group of people: Muhlenberg alumni who now work at Lutron. One of those, Michael Reitz ’11, explains, “Lutron really invests in its employees. Everything revolves around the founding principles.”

Reitz, who was a double major in accounting and business at ’Berg, is a project accountant in Lutron’s financial reporting area. In March of his senior year, Reitz attended the Lehigh Valley Collegiate Career Expo and discovered Lutron. He began his career there just after graduation, in June 2011.

Reitz was impressed with Lutron’s all-day interview process, which he described as “extensive.”

“They are looking for people with a strong work ethic,” he explains, “and Muhlenberg develops and encourages that type of person.” Reitz credits Muhlenberg with preparing him well for his Lutron position. “My well-rounded liberal arts education really helped,” he says. “It gave me a perspective of exploration.” Reitz adds, “Lutron is very supportive of you moving to different departments in the company. Like Muhlenberg, it’s a close-knit, caring culture. They want you and your career to grow and encourage you to ask questions and learn from your peers.”

Reitz, who believes in supporting Muhlenberg financially and is a Young HMMS-level donor, is also impressed with the philanthropic spirit at Lutron. “The founders are very connected to Lehigh Valley philanthropic concerns,” he says.

The Spiras have generously supported Lehigh Valley higher educational institutions. At Muhlenberg College, The Ruth and Joel Spira Prize for Distinguished Teaching was established with a gift made in October 2001. The Spiras wanted to establish the fund to recognize outstanding  faculty and to reinforce the importance of superior instruction and research at the undergraduate level. Income from the endowed fund is used to award an annual prize to recognize a specific full-time faculty member as the “Ruth and Joel Spira Honoree for Distinguished Teaching.”

The Spira Prize honoree determines use of the funds, which may include the acquisition of books, journals and other materials in the honoree’s particular academic discipline. Funds may also be used for faculty/student travel and registration costs to attend professional research conferences. The 2011 honoree is Dr. Michael J. Carbone, chair of the education department. Other recent honorees include Prof. Karen Dearborn, theatre & dance, and Dr. Laura Edelman, psychology.

Another young alumna who ended up at Lutron right after graduation is history/religion studies double major Amanda Palmer ’11. Palmer, herself the recipient of a prestigious award (Future Alumni Leader 2011), found out about Lutron from one of her economics professors: Dr. Sam Laposata. Palmer interviewed the day after graduation, and began the sales development program in June 2011. In January 2012, she started with the global project strategy team, working on commercial project sales.

Like her ’Berg classmate Michael Reitz, Palmer appreciated the “intense” interview process at Lutron, which is an all-day undertaking for any open position.

“The top-notch liberal arts education at Muhlenberg produces independent critical thinkers who are intellectually agile. At Lutron, these traits drive innovation and collaboration for continued success. We have benefitted from Muhlenberg as not only a source of great employees but also as a great place, through the Wescoe Program, to help our people develop their business skills.” – Dr. Susan Hakkarainen, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Lutron  

“It’s very thoughtful process,” she says. Once hired, Palmer went through a sales development program – a nine-month training program that included both in-house and field experience. Palmer sees many similarities between Muhlenberg and Lutron. “At ‘Berg, professors invest time and energy in students – Lutron does the same,” she explains. “Muhlenberg professors want to see you grow and succeed, and so does Lutron. From the VPs to your supervisor, everyone at Lutron feels that way.”

Palmer appreciated the personal attention shown to her at Muhlenberg by PR Vice President Mike Bruckner and economics professor Dr. Sam Laposata. “They cared about me as a person,” she says, “and wanted to help me succeed – not just at Muhlenberg but afterwards, too.”

Palmer also credits her undergraduate experience at Muhlenberg with her success at Lutron. “My activities and involvement at ’Berg taught me to be a leader,” she says. “You take those skills with you after graduation.” Also in sales at Lutron is Muhlenberg alumnus Mike Misciagna ’09. Like Reitz and Palmer, Misciagna, a political science and business double major at Muhlenberg, started at Lutron right after graduation – he celebrated his third year with the company in June 2012. He, too, found out about Lutron at a career fair: this one an on-campus event in November 2008. Lutron’s name came up again after Misciagna attended the Senior Year Experience program over winter break.

Business professor Dr. Roland Kushner contacted him after the program and recommended Lutron as a good company for him to consider.

Like all potential hires, Misciagna went through the full-day interview process. “It was quite an experience!” he remembers. Misciagna was impressed with the Lutron selection process, comparing it to Muhlenberg’s comprehensive admissions process. “They choose people who fit the culture,” he explains. “Just as Muhlenberg looks at the whole person, not just test scores, so does Lutron – they look at more than just your GPA. This results in a group of good people in the same place.”

Unlike Reitz’s and Palmer’s experiences, Misciagna found himself one of only two people hired that June. “It was a down economy,” he says, “and a Duke alumnus and I were the only ones who started that month.” Misciagna credits Muhlenberg for great preparation for getting his Lutron job and succeeding in sales. “You have to be able to sell yourself – the structure of classes at ’Berg (discussion-based as opposed to lectures) teaches you to formulate an argument and defend it,” he says. “Those are very important skills in sales.” His double major also helped, Misciagna explains. “My business major taught me how to make sound business decisions, and my poli-sci major taught me to think critically and communicate well with other people.”

Misciagna describes Lutron as “One of the best places to start your career.” He trained for six months and was then stationed in the Philadelphia area for commercial sales. “Lutron is supportive of peoples’ roles changing,” he says, noting that his role has grown. In his sales role, Misciagna is mostly in the field and sets up appointments out of his apartment. He comes to the Coopersburg office a couple of times per month and only sees his boss every two weeks or so. “It takes a lot of discipline to work like that,” he says.

Like Muhlenberg, Misciagna says, “Lutron takes care of its people. They put a huge emphasis on training and learning. If you decide to further your education, they will pay for your graduate degree.”

Another way that Lutron helps its employees to continue their education is through a non-degree program called “Lutron University.” One of their allies in this endeavor? Muhlenberg College. Specifically, the Wescoe School of Muhlenberg College – the College’s adult education division. According to Jane Hudak, dean of the Wescoe School, the Muhlenberg/Lutron program is a business leadership program that was created primarily for engineering/sales employees who already had undergraduate degrees and were moving into management.

Lutron Senior Vice President Rob Weinberg, parent of a 2011 Muhlenberg graduate, had noticed the excellent preparation of Wescoe graduates who worked at Lutron, and called Hudak to see how the two organizations might work together on continuing education for Lutron employees. Those meetings led to a program that is now in its fifth iteration at Lutron.

“Lutron was very forward thinking in that  when the economy was bad, they thought it was a good time to educate their people,” says Hudak. “They believe in comprehensive training and in bringing in the best to deliver it.”

The classes, which are taught at Lutron and are not for college credit, are a hybrid of the Wescoe School’s accelerated degree program. “The program is always fresh and slightly different from previous years,” says Hudak, “because we make adjustments based on the needs of the company in consultation with the Lutron University team as well as former participants.” The six-month program includes courses taught by full and part-time Muhlenberg faculty, and though not credited, the courses are transcripted.

“It has been a great experience for ’Berg faculty,” says Hudak, “and has heightened Muhlenberg’s visibility. It’s been a win-win experience for both Lutron and Muhlenberg!”

Clearly Muhlenberg and Lutron are closely connected in many areas involving people; but what about technology? According to David Rabold, capital projects manager in Muhlenberg’s plant operations department, that connection is just as strong. “Lutron is the expert in lighting management,” says Rabold. “We use computers to manage lighting, and Lutron technology is in just about every building on campus.”

According to Rabold, the new Hillel/Sociology/Anthropology (HSA) building has a Lutron-managed lighting system. In the Shabbat Dining Room, which has movable walls to configure the space in different ways, the Lutron system knows if walls are open or closed and adjusts the lighting accordingly. “Consumers have a tendency to over light,” explains Rabold. “The HSA has a ‘green’ switch that provides 80% light rather than 100% – and no one notices.”

In Seegers Union, all major conference rooms and the Wood Dining Commons lights are tied into Lutron systems. Lutron technology is also present in the Rehearsal House and Miller Forum in Moyer Hall. “Lutron is the gold standard in lighting design,” says Rabold. “They are a very sophisticated company.”

Rabold also appreciates Lutron’s attempt to educate the consumer on responsible lighting. “Instead of an occupancy sensor, they have a  vacancy sensor,” he explains. “People have to respond to turn the lights on – this creates better habits than if lights automatically come on and people don’t have to do anything.”

Rabold is extremely appreciative of the relationship Muhlenberg has developed with Lutron. “We have an excellent relationship,” he says. “They are a very strong business partner and have helped us keep operating costs down. Lutron has always been there when we need them.”

Although Muhlenberg and Lutron may appear to be completely different entities, their common philosophies and relationships with people and technology have created lasting connections. This is exemplified by Joel Spira’s first founding principle: Take care of the customer. The customer is our number one priority and the reason we exist as a company. Replace “customer” with “student” and “company” with “college” – suddenly, it becomes clear that these two successful organizations share a lot more than one might imagine.