500 Festival Princess Program Scholarship

500 Festival Princess Program Scholarship

Amount: $1,000 per scholarship recipient

Funder: 500 Festival Foundation Inc, in partnership with Marlyne Sexton (Indianapolis philanthropist and president of The Sexton Companies)

Geographic Scope: Indiana (college-aged women from across Indiana)

Program Overview:
The 500 Festival Princess Program is a leadership development program for college-aged women who serve as ambassadors for the 500 Festival, their hometowns, their colleges/universities, and the Indianapolis 500.

Eligibility

• College-aged women from Indiana colleges and universities
• Selection based on:
- Communication skills - Commitment to service - Leadership abilities - Scholarship (academic record) - Professionalism

What Princesses Do

• Serve as ambassadors for the 500 Festival and Indianapolis 500
• Participate in community outreach ("outreaches") including:
- Visiting elementary schools - Serving food at homeless shelters - Spending time at Riley Children's Hospital - Leading Habitat for Humanity builds - Visiting senior living communities - Meeting with Girl Scout troops
• Volunteer at all 500 Festival events during May
• Participate in 500 Festival Leadership Development Program, presented by BKD

Benefits

• $1,000 scholarship (made possible by 500 Festival Foundation and Marlyne Sexton)
• 500 Festival Leadership Development Program including:
- Discussions and learning opportunities on: goal setting, office etiquette, personal branding, budgeting, professionalism, time management, leadership, community engagement - Professional development events with 500 Festival Princess alumnae, board members, community and business leaders
• Once-in-a-lifetime experiences
• Lifelong connections and friendships with 32 other Princesses
• Networking with 500 Festival board members and community leaders

Selection Process

• First round interviews (typically in January)
• Second round interviews in February (approximately 66 applicants advance)
• 33 total Princesses selected
• Independent panel of community interviewers

Time Commitment

• Full-time college students with existing commitments
• Mandatory event dates throughout semester
• Additional encouraged outreach opportunities during spring
• Travel to Indianapolis for events required

Geographic Coverage

Princesses represent colleges and universities across Indiana, from southern Indiana (Evansville University) to northern Indiana (IPFW)

Program History

• 60+ year program history
• 2018 class set record for highest cumulative GPA (3.72 average)
• Princesses volunteer thousands of hours in community outreach annually

Contact

Laura Bliss at LBliss@500Festival.com