Local Workforce Partnership Earns National Recognition for York County Natural Gas Authority

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Community collaboration with Winthrop University students leads to nationally recognized customer education campaign

ROCK HILL, S.C. — What began as a classroom challenge has grown into an award-winning communications program that is helping York County Natural Gas Authority (YCNGA) better educate customers while demonstrating the long-term value of investing in local talent.

YCNGA’s customer education campaign featuring Glow the Firefly, the Authority’s friendly Energy Ambassador, has recently earned three prestigious communications awards recognizing excellence in creativity, strategy, and public engagement:

Gold Hermes Creative Award for Strategic & Integrated Campaigns, presented by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), an international organization recognizing excellence in marketing and communications.
Corporate Communications Award from the SGA Natural Gas Association, recognizing outstanding communications among natural gas companies across North America, including many of the industry’s largest investor-owned utilities.
First Place Communications & Marketing Award from the American Public Gas Association (APGA), the nation’s largest trade association representing publicly owned natural gas utilities.

While these awards recognize the success of Glow as a communications campaign, the story behind the character is rooted in something much larger: a community partnership focused on workforce development. Glow’s journey began through the York County Regional Chamber’s EPIC Challenge, an experiential learning program that connects students with local organizations to solve real business challenges. During the competition, Winthrop University students developed creative concepts to help YCNGA better engage customers. One of those ideas sparked the inspiration that would eventually become Glow.

Winthrop University students present their creative idea for Glow during the EPIC Challenge

Over the following months, YCNGA’s marketing team refined the concept into the character customers know today: a friendly firefly who makes natural gas safety, energy efficiency, conservation, and utility information more approachable for customers of all ages.

“Work-integrated learning experiences give students the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and apply what they are learning to a real-world challenge. Students from diverse majors brought their creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills to the development of a marketing campaign. The opportunity provided by YCNGA was invaluable in helping students build career-ready skills employers are seeking while giving them a firsthand understanding of what it means to contribute to a professional team and deliver meaningful results for an organization.”

— Becky Ross, Director, Center for Career Development and Internships, Winthrop University

For Erin Patel, a Winthrop instructor who worked with the students, the impact of the partnership extended well beyond the project itself.

“YCNGA is a tremendous partner who is truly invested in community and student development. The students who participated in this project have spoken with pride about how EPIC changed their trajectory. Several have come back after graduation to tell me that the 6-week EPIC project helped them land internships and jobs, and gave them the confidence to take on special projects.”

— Erin Patel, Adjunct Instructor, Winthrop University

The EPIC Challenge was coordinated through a partnership with the York County Regional Chamber, connecting local businesses with students to tackle meaningful community challenges.

“EPIC is about more than giving students an opportunity to learn—it’s about giving them an opportunity to contribute. Glow shows what can happen when businesses open the door and invite students to help solve real challenges. A student’s idea became a lasting asset for YCNGA and an award-winning campaign, but the bigger win is the experience students gained by seeing their ideas make a real impact. That is workforce development at its best.”

— Celeste Tiller, Workforce Development, York County Regional Chamber

Today, Glow has become a recognizable part of YCNGA’s customer education efforts, appearing in digital and print campaigns, children’s educational materials, community events, website resources, safety communications, and energy conservation initiatives.

“Glow represents what can happen when education, business, and community partners come together with a shared purpose,” said Jimmy Sprouse, President and CEO of YCNGA. “The original idea came from students who were given the opportunity to think creatively about a real business challenge. Today, Glow has become a long-term communications strategy that continues to grow, evolve, and create value for the customers and communities we serve.”

For YCNGA, Glow’s success reinforces a broader philosophy: investing in the community creates lasting value.

Through its Community Investment Initiative, YCNGA has made workforce development and education a cornerstone of its efforts to strengthen the communities it serves. The Authority partners with local schools, colleges, universities, workforce organizations, and community leaders to strengthen career pathways, support students, and help develop the next generation of skilled professionals.

Those partnerships include scholarships, educational programs, career exploration opportunities, skilled trades initiatives, mentorship programs, and collaborations with Winthrop University, York Technical College, Clinton College, and school districts across York County.

“Community investment is often measured by the dollars an organization gives back,” Sprouse said. “But some of the greatest returns come from investing time, relationships, and opportunities. When businesses invite students and young professionals to contribute, everyone benefits. Students gain meaningful experience. Organizations gain fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. And our community grows stronger because we’re building the next generation of leaders together.”

Although Glow has earned national recognition, YCNGA views the awards as a celebration of the partnership that made them possible.

“What started as a student idea has become something much bigger than a marketing campaign,” Sprouse said. “It’s proof that when businesses commit to education and workforce development, those investments don’t end when the project is over. They continue creating value for years to come for students, organizations, and the entire community.”

As a public, not-for-profit utility, YCNGA believes serving the community extends beyond delivering natural gas. Through continued investment in education, workforce development, and collaborative partnerships, the Authority remains committed to helping build a stronger future for York County.