Six Ball State University students will be treated as royalty when they participate as Indianapolis 500 Festival Princesses.
The Indianapolis 500 is one of the greatest spectacles in racing. Beginning in 1957, the 500 Festival occurs the day before the race and includes music, entertainment and celebration.
The 500 Festival organizes civic events celebrating the Indianapolis 500 and has grown to be one of the largest festivals in the nation.
Out of 282 applicants ages 19 to 23, 33 young women were selected based on communication skills, poise, academic performance and community and volunteer involvement. They represent 10 Indiana colleges and universities and 26 Hoosier cities and towns. Ball State had the more princesses than any other with Sarah Atkinson, Kim Darling, Stacy Dixon, Michele Faroh, Tiffany Rinker and Tiffany Schroer chosen for the honor.
Faroh, a senior marketing management major, said the princesses served as ambassadors for the race and were required to do two outreach programs and community service in Indiana.
"As ambassadors, we are supposed to talk to schools about the festivities of the race," Faroh said. "We are required to go to all events before the parade and make a lot of appearances."
Schroer, a junior telecommunications major, said a queen was chosen based on the scores from the first two interviews, a public speech given near the end of April and the two outreach programs.
She said she got the idea to apply to be a princess because her first cousin was the queen in 1996.
"When my cousin was queen, it interested me even at a young age, and I said I would do it once I was in college," she said. "I am glad I got the opportunity to do it and am really excited about being a princess and being able to enjoy all the racing festivities."
Faroh said knowing she was one of 33 to represent the state and the festival was amazing.
"I am honored to say I am a representative, and I have met a lot of great people," she said.
Schroer said along with doing all the events before the parade, the princesses were set up with a director who was a prominent person in the community and related to the princess' major. The director served as a mentor for the princess during the racing season and when the season was complete, the directors helped with job references and getting an internship, she said.
"When we were told we would be princesses, they said once a princess always a princess," Schroer said. "I will always have that special tie to the track."
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