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Floarine Wilson, director of Kentucky State University’s Student Health Services, recently received the Kentucky Immunization Champion Award. Wilson’s administrative assistant Shelby Strode secretly nominated her.

“She has gone above and beyond to promote immunizations in Kentucky,” Strode says.

More than 300 people attended the award luncheon at the Crowne Plaza in Louisville. The award was presented by Margaret Jones, program manager of the Kentucky Immunization Department of Public Health.

Prior to Wilson becoming director of KSU’s Student Health Services, more than 80 percent of students were incomplete for the required immunizations. However, Wilson’s programs have reversed the number of immunizations to 90 percent complete at the campus.

Wilson conducts health fairs and offers influenza vaccines and TB screenings annually with the Franklin County Health Department (FCHD) Immunizations agencies and State Immunization Department.

In efforts to assure that KSU was not at risk for outbreak of communicable diseases, Wilson became proactive, by requesting the necessary free vaccines, which allowed the clinic to provide immunizations at no cost.

She also identified all students whose immunizations were not up-to-date, and spent numerous hours reviewing more than 1,500 current students’ records. All new, transfer and returning students were contacted, by email, postal service and phone calls and made aware of their immunization needs before arriving on campus.

Wilson implemented a plan to solicit assistance in administering immunizations from the FCHD and the State Public Health Immunization Program.

KSU administration enforced immunization requirements. Residence Life assured that students were not admitted dorm admission without documentation of immunizations.

Wilson has held special clinics offering incentive driven hepatitis B and HPV vaccines and collaborated with the School of Nursing students to increase with the administration of immunizations.

Hats off to Floarine Wilson for a job well done.