Charles R. Drew University COVID-19 Vaccine Website

Charles R. Drew University (CDU) of Medicine and Science partnered with Media Genesis to launch an educational microsite focused on vaccine hesitancy within the Black and Latino communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by a CDC grant, the campaign aimed to provide clear, accessible information tailored to audiences who have historically experienced medical mistrust.

The goal was to create a digital platform that addressed common reasons for vaccine hesitancy through empathetic messaging, science-backed responses, and actionable next steps for getting vaccinated.

Challenges and Opportunities

In addressing vaccine misinformation and health disparities, Media Genesis and CDU identified several key challenges:

• Mistrust and Misinformation: Many users had legitimate concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine due to historical inequities and recent misinformation campaigns.
• Audience Engagement: The site needed to resonate culturally and visually with the intended audiences while encouraging them to learn more without feeling pressured.
• Educational Clarity: Messaging had to counter common myths in a respectful, science-based manner.
• Usability and Access: The site had to be intuitive across mobile devices, easy to navigate, and offer immediate options for finding a nearby vaccine location.

Solutions by Media Genesis

To meet these objectives, Media Genesis designed and developed a custom HTML website from the ground up. The site was fully tailored to meet the university’s outreach goals, providing an accessible and mobile-responsive experience for users seeking vaccine information. The design focused on clarity and ease of navigation, helping ensure all visitors could quickly find vaccine location, eligibility details and appointment resources.

• Tailored Content Strategy: The site was structured around the campaign question, “What’s Your Hesitancy?” and broke vaccine hesitancy into four relatable categories: “Don’t Trust It,” “Don’t Need It,” “Can’t Get It,” and “Don’t Want It.” Each page addressed real quotes and concerns voiced by community members, pairing them with facts, data, and empathetic explanations.
• Custom Design and Branding: Bright, bold visuals and approachable fonts created an engaging experience that felt welcoming, not clinical. Key calls to action, including vaccine locator tools and hotline numbers, were consistently reinforced.
• Accessible and Responsive Development: The site was built for cross-platform compatibility, ensuring that users on desktop or mobile could easily access and interact with the content.
• Strategic Partner Content Integration: The microsite featured video interviews with trusted local healthcare voices, like Dr. David Carlisle and Dr. Angela Davis, to build trust and relatability.

Results and Impact

The CDU vaccine microsite successfully supported the university’s public health outreach goals:

• Culturally Relevant Engagement: By addressing concerns through the lens of the target audience’s lived experience, the site created a safe space for curiosity and exploration.
• User-Centered Messaging: Site visitors could quickly identify their own concerns and explore answers at their own pace.
• Call-to-Action Effectiveness: Prominent placement of vaccine locators, text services, and hotlines ensured users could take the next step toward vaccination easily.
• Positive Institutional Visibility: The campaign positioned CDU as a community leader in addressing health disparities with digital innovation.

Conclusion

Media Genesis helped Charles R. Drew University deliver a thoughtful, engaging, and action-driven digital resource at a critical time in public health. By combining strategic messaging with user-centered design, the site empowered visitors with the facts they needed to make informed vaccine decisions.

From admissions to academic resources, we help higher education institutions create digital experiences that deliver. Reach out to Media Genesis to start your project.