CASE STUDY
Student-centered storytelling increased engagement
for Access to Achievement.
Authentic student storytelling and a targeted digital campaign helped the North Carolina Community College System introduce Access to Achievement and build awareness of new pathways to education and employment for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Client
North Carolina Community College System, Access to Achievement
A new program needed its story told from the start.
As Access to Achievement launched across 15 of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges, the System needed to build awareness of the initiative while:
- building champions among state policymakers
- demonstrating the value of an inclusive workforce to employers
- showing students and their families what Access to Achievement could make possible
Reaching such different audiences required more than skillful video production. It required listening closely to understand the heart of the work, identifying the stories that could bring it to life and developing messaging that centered the capabilities, ambitions and experiences of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Formation PR & Brand paired those stories with a targeted marketing campaign designed to carry the message to the people who most needed to see it.
Creating new pathways to college and employment.
Piloted in 2023, Access to Achievement is a state-funded initiative that promotes increased employment outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in North Carolina’s community college system. Its mission: transform lives by creating accessible educational pathways for individuals with IDD across the state — empowering them to achieve independence, gain workforce skills, and participate fully in their communities.
The students were their own best storytellers.
Before a single frame was shot, the Formation team immersed ourselves in the A2A initiative, its students, its coordinators, its partnering faculty, its campuses, and what success genuinely looks like for the people it serves. We listened closely to what our client wanted this project to accomplish. Student-centered storytelling grounded in authenticity and respect was paramount.
That listening led to a clear point of view: individuals with IDD were the best people to show what the opportunity could make possible.
Giving student stories the reach they deserved.
Formation set the stage for A2A students to tell their own stories, in their own words, rather than telling those stories for them. By putting them in the spotlight and letting them shine, others could picture themselves having the same success, and envision what’s truly possible.
We then repackaged that video content and built a targeted digital campaign to put the message directly in front of the audiences who needed to see it. The ads’ messaging met students where they were – without judgment – and let them know that with the right support, they could feel confident and capable as a college student. Thoughtful marketing strategy paired with deep understanding is what made the story travel.
The right stories reached the right people.
Reaching the right audience with an authentic message was key to making every dollar count. We developed and implemented an 8-week campaign that raised awareness of the initiative among high school students with IDD and their parents. Viewers didn’t just click and go. They stayed engaged, averaging 3:40 on site, proof the campaign reached a genuinely qualified, large audience.
The story continued to have relevance as the initiative grew. In 2026, the state awarded additional funding to expand Access to Achievement to ten more campuses — extending the program’s reach to more students across North Carolina.
Lindsay Tipton associate director of pathways and partnerships, Access to Achievement
A powerful story needs the right strategy to travel.
Formation helps mission-driven organizations uncover the stories that make their work meaningful, then create the content and campaign strategy to reach the people who need to hear them and take action.