When Theresa Miller decided to join Pitt’s Institute of Politics, she faced a crossroad: she… When Theresa Miller decided to join Pitt’s Institute of Politics, she faced a crossroad: she could continue working as the director of a drug treatment program or join the Institute of Politics and continue her graduate work.

Thanks to a friend at the Institute, she made the decision to join – but with slight hesitation.

“I thought that I would be here for 15 minutes,” Miller said. “Now I’ve been here for almost 15 years.”

While becoming the deputy director of the Institute in 1992 – and more recently the director – Miller has continued to volunteer some of her time to a drug and alcohol treatment program for women known as the Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery House.

Along with her engagement with the POWER House – an organization which she co-founded – Miller has volunteered at many social assistance programs, such as Pittsburgh Action Against Rape and a housing assistance program for low-income citizens, Penn Free.

Miller said that her advocacy comes from her sense of responsibility to reach out to people in need, something “near and dear” to her heart.

“I was someone who grew up in those situations,” she said. “I was able to overcome that.”

As director of the Institute of Politics, Miller wants to continue to help others overcome their own situations.

“Basically, we run policy forums. We help policy makers make informed decisions that will have a positive impact on western Pennsylvania,” she said.

Pitt’s Institute of Politics is a nonpartisan convener of public policy discourse, something that Miller hopes will eventually help in rejuvenating the region.

“In five years, I hope that we will see a region that is marked by economic vitality, intergovernmental cooperation, efficient schools and human service agencies and public health institutions, a cleaner and healthier environment and an improved quality of life for our citizens,” she said.

Miller went on to state the goals the Institute of Politics has for the region.

“I also hope that policy makers will be able to say that the Institute of Politics, in some measure, helped us to attain these regional goals,” she said. “If they can say that, then we have done our job well in serving the University and the region.”