The EXCITE Project: Impact of Immunization Education Programs at 1890 Institutions

The 1890 Universities Foundation collaborated with the Extension Foundation to implement the system-wide program, Extension Collaborative on Immunization, Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE). EXCITE addresses barriers and increases confidence about COVID–19, flu, and other vaccinations among rural and medically underserved audiences and informs CDC, USDA–NIFA, Cooperative Extension, and health partners about how best to implement public health programs to reduce health disparities. EXCITE projects at 1890 Institutions strive to promote health, remove disparities, and empower Black communities through immunization education programs.

The “Vaccinate with Confidence“ campaign was completed in October of 2022 and educated various target populations about the importance of immunizations against COVID–19 in order to increase vaccine confidence. Seventeen 1890 institutions participated in the one–year project.

Immunization Education Pilots develop and evaluate new strategies to inform best practices for future vaccination education programming. Immunization Education Pilots are two–year projects that will wrap up in May 2023. These projects have been busy creating and testing messages, as well as learning from the communities about how CES, CDC, and local healthcare providers could collaborate to inform and reach people with adult immunization education. Five 1890 institutions were chosen to lead these initiatives.

1890 EXCITE project’s impact:

• Seventeen 1890 LGUs participated in EXCITE
• 3,605,836 and couting individuals reached
• 98 counties in 17 states reached
• 2 Native American reservations reached
• 80 community and healthcare partners formed

Learn more about the 1890 EXCITE projects:

• EXCITE project map with reach and project info
• Watch Project videos from the EXCITE teams to see the innovative ways 1890 projects are implementing Immunization Education in their communities.
  • Alabama A&M University
  • University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  • Alcorn University
  • Lincoln University
  • Tennessee State
  • Texas A&M Prairie View
  • West Virginia State
  • Florida A&M and the University of Florida
  • Kentucky State University