2015 Program to Feature a New Personal and Professional Development Initiative

INDIANAPOLIS (November 6, 2014) – The 500 Festival, a nonprofit organization committed to enriching the quality of life for Indiana residents and visitors, today announced it is accepting applications for its 2015 Princess Program. The 500 Festival also announced the launch of the Princess Program’s new personal and professional development initiative, Royalty Roundtable, to further benefit the 33 young women selected as 500 Festival Princesses.

Being selected as a 500 Festival Princess not only provides young women with once-in-a-life-time experiences, it provides countless opportunities for leadership and professional development. The 2015 500 Festival Princesses will serve as ambassadors of the 500 Festiva^l, their hometowns and colleges/universities. Over the months leading up to May, the 33 princesses will be involved with statewide outreach programs, including visits to hospitals, schools and various youth programs. Princesses will attend and volunteer at all 500 Festival events throughout the month of May, are present at various Indianapolis Motor Speedway^® functions, and participate in the pre-race ceremonies and Victory Circle celebration for the Indianapolis 500^®. One princess will be selected to serve as the 500 Festival Queen and will receive a $2,500 scholarship.

With a rich history of celebrating Indiana’s most civic-minded, poised, academically driven college-aged women, the 500 Festival Princess Program’s new personal and professional development initiative, Royalty Roundtable, will further empower participants and equip them to make a profound impact within their cities and Indiana. Key components of Royalty Roundtable include:

• Discussions and learning opportunities - guided by business and community leaders - surrounding topics including: goal setting, office etiquette, networking, empowerment, budgeting, resume and interview best practices
• Professional evaluations and personality assessments
• Networking and professional development events with 500 Festival Princess alumnae, members of the 500 Festival board of directors, community and business leaders
• Increased scholarship opportunities for each of the 500 Festival Princesses and the 500 Festival Queen

After the Jan. 9, 2015 application deadline, applicants will be interviewed by an independent panel of judges on Saturday, Jan. 24, narrowing the selection to 66 women. A second panel of judges from the community will conduct another round of interviews on Saturday, Feb. 7, selecting the final 33 to serve as ambassadors.

The application deadline for the 2015 500 Festival Princess Program is Jan. 9, 2015. The application is available online at https://www.500festival.com/programs/princess-program. For additional details on the 500 Festival Princess Program rules and regulations, please click here.

G.Thrapp Jewelers is a proud sponsor of the 500 Festival Princess Program. Additional supporters of the program include Indianapolis Motor Speedway, retro101, The Sanctuary on Penn and Vera Bradley.

About the 500 Festival

Founded in 1957, the 500 Festival is a not-for-profit organization that produces more than 50 life-enriching events and programs while celebrating the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500® and fostering positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana. One of the largest festivals in the nation, each year more than half a million people attend an event or program produced by the 500 Festival. Since its founding, the 500 Festival has contributed more than $350 million in economic value to Indianapolis. To learn more about the 500 Festival, please visit www.500festival.com, follow us on Twitter @500festival, or on Facebook. 

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Media Contact:
Sabrina List
317.614-6141
slist@500festival.com