To stimulate a particular feeling, interest, etc. in someone. I'm afraid of flying, so learning that my new job requires me to travel by plane excited terror in me. Going to the museum as a kid really excited a love of dinosaurs in me

To cause one to feel enthusiastic about something, especially in anticipation of participating in it. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "excite" and "about." Despite my best efforts, I still haven't been able to excite my students about trigonometry.