The Fox Valley Technical College Marketing team was recognized recently with a Gold Medallion Award at the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 3 conference.
FVTC took home top honors in the Communications Success Story category for the storytelling and far-reaching coverage of the unforgettable account of one very fortunate FVTC instructor.
When Training Becomes Real: EMT Students Save Their Instructor’s Life
In March 2026, EMS Instructor Karl Arps was conducting a classroom training exercise with his students—lying in the back of an ambulance used as part of the EMS classroom environment—when he went into cardiac arrest while “playing the patient.” Within seconds, the students he had trained sprang into action, saving his life.
What began as a remarkable campus story quickly resonated far beyond the college through strategic storytelling, video production and proactive media outreach. Karl’s story generated extensive earned media coverage across local, regional, national and international outlets, including ABC World News Tonight with David Muir.
The award-winning entry documented how an extraordinary classroom moment became a national story about preparedness, education and the life-saving power of technical education training.
View the video package produced by the FVTC AV Services team:
Outcomes
The campaign exceeded expectations and became one of the most successful earned media stories in Fox Valley Technical College history:
- 612 earned media placements
- 455 million total audience reach
- $4.22 million estimated media value
- 4,500 organic social media engagements across Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn
- 655 views of FVTC’s long-form video on YouTube
Coverage extended across local, national and international media outlets, including ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, CBS Mornings, Live with Kelly & Mark, CBC Radio and numerous NPR-affiliated stations a segment on a nationally syndicated public radio quiz program.
Beyond the media metrics, however, the campaign elevated awareness of Fox Valley Technical College and highlighted the quality of the college’s Emergency Medical Services training while reinforcing the life-saving value of hands-on technical education.
And our students and instructors will continue to be honored for their heroic measures. They have already received numerous commendations from local first responder agencies, state lawmakers and recognition on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. In November 2026, the students will travel to Washington, D.C. to be honored at the 2026 American Ambulance Association’s Stars of Life event.
Most importantly, the story delivered a powerful demonstration of Fox Valley Technical College’s mission in action. As one of the students recounted the emergency, he commented, “Now it’s real.” In that moment, the true value of technical education was not measured in credits or credentials. It was measured in a life saved.
NCMPR’s Medallion Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design and communication at community and technical colleges in each of its seven districts. FVTC is in District 3, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the Canadian province of Ontario. The NCMPR Medallion Awards is the only competition of its kind that honors excellence among marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges.
