article | Culture
PPHS grad embodies pride, responsibility of Navy ROTC
Part of the first graduating class of Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indianapolis, Samuel Hardesty chose to join Purdue’s Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps to cultivate self-discipline, develop leadership skills and fulfill a desire to serve others by defending his country.
From the grandstands to pit row
A young Nathan O’Rourke could list every Indianapolis 500 winner since 1911. Since then, he’s worked with some of the best known names in IndyCar and is currently living out his racing dreams.
article | Education
Blazing a trail in nuclear engineering
Destiny White didn’t set out to become Purdue’s first Black female nuclear engineering graduate, but she did just that.
article | Experience
Playing a part in an Indy 500 tradition, year after year
As a member of the Purdue “All-American” Marching band, Krupa Patel enjoys coming back to the Indy 500, a tradition held for over 100 years.
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.
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.
article | Growth
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.