The 500 Festival is waving the green flag welcoming yet another class of sharp-minded, enthusiastic students from around the country for the 2022 500 Festival Intern Program! This intern class encompasses 11 students from eight different universities that are ready to drive in the fast lane as they help bring the Month of May to life in Indianapolis. 

These ambitious and hardworking students were selected to experience all that the 500 Festival has to offer. Each intern plays a critical role in aiding with extensive planning, organizing, execution, and celebration of festivities that commemorate The Greatest Spectacle in Racing: the Indianapolis 500. 

Interns will also experience the 500 Festival Leadership Development Program, presented by BKD. This unique program will give the interns an opportunity to engage, grow, and learn from prominent professionals and community leaders. 

With the guidance and supervision of full-time 500 Festival staff, each intern will be getting a once-in-a-lifetime experience while working in the Racing Capital of the World.  

To learn more about the 500 Festival Intern Program, visit 500Festival.com/Interns 

 

Natalie Ahyat

Natalie acts as the Event & Program Intern, 500 Festival Post Race Party & 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, presented by Midwestern Engineers, Inc. A senior at Washington State University, she is studying sports management. A fun fact about Natalie is that she loves coffee and likes to explore local coffee shops around Indianapolis! This Seattle native is eager to experience her first Month of May! 

School: Washington State University 

Field of study: Sport Management & Communications

Intern Title: Event & Program Intern: 500 Festival Post Race Party and 500 Festival Breakfast and the Brickyard, presented by Midwestern Engineers, Inc.

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I am most looking forward to seeing what all our hard work can turn into! The events we put on are huge, so the fact that such a small team can put it together amazes me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbey Prickel 

Abbey joins the 500 Festival as the Customer Relations and Ticketing Intern. She comes from Batesville, Indiana and represents IUPUI while studying Tourism Conventions and Event Management. Abbey loves movies, especially Marvel, and is excited to get her internship underway.  

School: IUPUI 

Field of study: Tourism Conventions and Event Management

Intern Title: Customer Relations & Ticketing Intern 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I am looking forward to engaging with all the participants at the races, especially at the Indy Mini! 

 

 

 

 

Brockton Butcher 

Brockton acts as the 500 Festival Program and Event Intern: 500 Festival Miler Series, presented by OrthoIndy, OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, and The American Legion 500 Festival Memorial Service. He is from Fairmount, Indiana and attends Indiana University while studying Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management. One fun fact about Brockton is that he is a twin! 

School: Indiana University 

Field of study: Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management 

Intern Title: Event & Program Intern: 500 Festival Miler Series, presented by OrthoIndy, OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, and The American Legion 500 Festival Memorial Service 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I’m really looking forward to seeing the Mini-Marathon play out! That is one event that we all really work together to put on, so watching it come to fruition will be very rewarding. 

 

 

 

 

Liz Lamkin

Liz is joining the 500 Festival team as the Communications Intern. This Indianapolis native is currently a junior at Butler University and is studying Marketing and Business Law. Liz loves to be outside and spend time with her friends, family, and new puppy, Rudy.  

School: Butler University 

Field of study: Marketing & Business Law 

Intern Title: Communications Intern 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

Being from Indianapolis, I have grown up going and participating in our events, so now being able to plan and execute them is special. I have been to almost every Indianapolis 500 during my lifetime, so I am ready to get this 2022 season going!  

 

 

 

 

Bowe Brooks

Bowe acts as the Event & Program Intern, 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Expo and Salesforce & JP Morgan Chase 500 Festival Kids’ Day. This Kokomo native is currently an IUPUI Jaguar studying sports management. Along with being on the 500 Festival team, he one day hopes to be on the TV show Survivor! 

School: IUPUI 

Field of study: Sports Management 

Intern Title: Event & Program Intern, 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Expo and Salesforce & JP Morgan Chase 500 Festival Kids’ Day. 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I am looking forward to seeing the events we work on come to fruition and the impact that they have on the community! 

 

 

 

 

 

Danielle Langford

Danielle is the 2022 Youth Programming Intern here at the 500 Festival. This Mooresville native is currently studying sports entertainment and event management at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Danielle also loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World!  

School: Johnson & Wales University 

Field of study: Sports entertainment and event management  

Intern Title: Youth Programming Intern 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I am looking forward to the IMS and Mobile Trips from the Education Program! I can’t wait to meet so many people and see lots of kids have fun during our events. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brody Watson

Brody is joining the 500 Festival team as our Strategic Partnerships and Activation Intern. This Greencastle native is studying sport management and business administration at the University of Indianapolis. An interesting fact about Brody is he was born on Christmas Day!  

School: University of Indianapolis 

Field of study: Sports Management and Business Administration 

Intern Title: Strategic Partnerships and Activation Intern 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

The number one thing I look forward to during the 500 Festival season is being able to get a behind-the-scenes look of how to plan and execute all the 500 Festival events and programs while promoting and supporting the Indy 500 during the Month of May! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reagan McCoy

Reagan is the 2022 Volunteer Program Intern here at the 500 Festival! This Chesterton, Indiana native is currently an IUPUI Jaguar studying sports management. Along with being on the 500 Festival team, Reagan also loves ice hockey and used to cover the Indy Fuel for a hockey blog!  

School: IUPUI 

Field of study: Sports Management 

Intern Title: Volunteer Program, presented by Citizens Energy Group

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I’m very excited to be on this team and meet all the people who are passionate about volunteering at our events. We love our volunteers!  

 

 

 

Delaney Hyde

Delaney is acting as the Graphic Design Intern for the 2022 season! This Indianapolis native is currently studying Visual Communication Design and minoring in Global and International Studies at the IUPUI Herron School of Art and Design. In addition to being on our team, Delaney loves to travel and spend her free time gardening, too!  

School: IUPUI Herron School of Art and Design 

Field of study: Visual Communication Design  

Intern Title: Graphic Design Intern 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

Looking forward to being at events with the team and helping people have a fun and safe season! 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Tracy 

Joe is joining the 500 Festival team as our Logistic Coordinator Intern. This Sunbury, Ohio native is studying sport management and business at Bowling Green State University. Joe’s love for the 500 Festival doesn’t stop at his new position, Joe has even raced cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and has even kissed the bricks! 

School: Bowling Green State University 

Field of study: Sports Management and Business  

Intern Title: Logistics Coordinator

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

I am really looking forward to seeing how the Month of May works in the city of Indianapolis. I love racing and couldn’t be happier to be part of this intern class!  

 

 

 

 

 

Darian Riley

Darian acts as the Position: Event & Program Intern, 500 Festival Princess Program, presented by The National Bank of Indianapolis and the AES 500 Festival Parade, and 500 Festival Kickoff to May, presented by Star Bank. Darian is from Greenwood, Indiana and is currently attending IUPUI while studying sports management. In her spare time, Darian loves to cook and bake!  

School: IUPUI 

Field of study: Sports Management 

Intern Title: Event & Program Intern: 500 Festival Princess Program, presented by The National Bank of Indianapolis and the AES 500 Festival Parade, and 500 Festival Kickoff to May, presented by Star Bank. 

Which part of the 500 Festival season are you looking forward to the most? 

The 500 Festival is giving me a wonderful opportunity to work closely with the members of the community and bring Indianapolis to life. I am excited to get a closer look at what Indy will look like during the month of May! I am also excited to get an opportunity to work Laura and excited to see all the events we are planning come to life.