article | Experience
Redefining what it means to be a princess
I want to tell young girls: Whatever you want to put your mind to, you can achieve it. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. As a female police officer, I’m going to have to work 20 times as hard as any man.
Taking every opportunity to shape the future, empower others
In a world of influencers and models, you look at these people and you think, “I want to look like that.” But that’s not how it is with the 500 Festival Princess Program.
Empowering Indiana women through civic engagement
When I was in middle school choir, I was assigned to be a helper and mentor to a student with Down syndrome. I ended up getting really close with his family. I did a lot of work with the Special Olympics in high school, too.
Becoming a part of Indianapolis 500 and Purdue history
I went to the Indy 500 when I was younger, but I didn’t know I was hearing the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band the whole time until I was able to be a part of it in college as a Golduster.
article | Education
Racing toward Indy 500 dreams
At the age of 11, Bill Pappas saved enough money to attend his first-ever Indianapolis 500. Since then, he has turned his dreams into a reality, along the way working with some of the biggest names in racing — Juan Pablo Montoya, Emerson Fittipaldi and A.J. Foyt.
Data science for all: Thriving in a human-centered, data-driven workforce
Whatever your idea of a typical classroom experience looks like, it’s certainly not The Data Mine. This unique living-learning community offers boundary-breaking learning for students from all backgrounds and gives students the chance to work on real-world projects with major corporations like Beck’s Hybrids, Cummins and Microsoft.
Seeing a community come together for race day
It’s the coolest moment when we turn the corner of the Indy 500 track, and you see all of the people in the stands lined up, and you are the first thing they’re all looking at.
Modeling community service for the next generation as a 500 Festival Princess
The 500 Festival Princess Program started out as a pageant, but there’s so much more to what it means to be a leader and a princess. I fell in love with community service my freshman year building an assistive fishing device for a 7-year-old boy.
Combining student leadership and showmanship at the Indianapolis 500
At the Indy 500, a lot of the drum major’s role is the showmanship of it all — wearing the big, tall bear hats, leading the band through the parades, but there is also the logistics.
Building and celebrating a passion for community
Being from a small town, there’s not a whole lot of diversity. There wasn’t anybody that looked like me. I got pointed out a lot, and I just knew from a very early age I was not the same as everybody else.
Renovations modernize PMU dining level while celebrating Purdue’s history
The Purdue Memorial Union’s renovated ground floor looks like an entirely different space to most visitors. But when they see the many nods to Purdue and PMU history embedded within the new layout, even staunch Purdue traditionalists can find elements to appreciate about the additions to the century-old building.
Strengthening The Next Giant Leap
For Joanne Troutner, Purdue University is more than her alma mater. It’s a family. She describes Purdue as a launchpad — “A place where I was allowed to be excellent.” “How could I not want to give back?” she asks, voice ripe with sincerity.
