Background

The National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research, advocacy, and education in regenerative medicine and related fields. Through its National STEM Scholar Program, developed in partnership with The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University, NSCF invests in middle school teachers who inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.

Challenge

For the 10th anniversary of the National STEM Scholar Program, NSCF and The Gatton Academy wanted to create a national moment that highlighted the program’s prestige and measurable impact since its founding in 2015. The challenge was to generate both national coverage and localized impact by celebrating the ten 2025 Scholars in a way that resonated with their home communities. A standard national press release would not have been enough to capture the human-interest stories or create the sense of local pride that would drive meaningful coverage.

Top Objectives

• Raise national awareness of the program’s milestone year and the impact it has made since inception.
• Generate localized coverage in each Scholar’s hometown market to build community pride and reinforce program value.
• Position NSCF as a thought leader in STEM education and philanthropic investment.

Solution

PriceWeber helped NSCF go beyond a traditional national press release by creating localized media releases for each of the ten Scholars. Each packet included personalized quotes, headshots, and details about the teacher’s school and hometown. This ensured that local reporters had compelling, ready-to-publish material that spoke directly to their audience.

We issued the releases just before the Scholars arrived at Western Kentucky University for their training week, creating opportunities for follow-up feature stories. High-resolution individual photos were made available for download, making it easier for outlets to include visuals. This strategy also gave Scholars and their school districts content they could share through newsletters and social media, multiplying the impact.

Tactics Utilized

• National and local media relations
• Content development for tailored press releases
• Visual asset distribution
• Strategic campaign timing and rollout
• Social amplification through school districts and community partners

Results

The 2025 campaign far outperformed the prior year, proving the value of a localized-plus-national approach. Earned media mentions nearly doubled from 61 in 2024 to 117 in 2025. Audience reach increased by 671 percent, climbing from 10.9 million to 84.1 million. Publicity value rose by 406 percent, reaching nearly $1 million.

This growth was largely attributable to the addition of customized releases for each Scholar, which drove coverage in hometown newspapers, broadcast outlets, and community news sources while still securing attention from national education and STEM trade media. The ripple effect extended further as schools, districts, and community leaders amplified the stories through their own channels.

Performance Highlights

(2025 vs. 2024)

• Earned Media Mentions: 117 (92% increase from 61)
• Audience Reached: 84,146,073 (up from 10,903,542)
• Publicity Value: $998,351 (up from $197,114)