Ferdinand grad selected as 500 Festival Princess

Allison Hoffman, a Forest Park High School graduate, has been selected as one of 33 Indianapolis 500 Festival Princesses.

The Festival Princesses serve as ambassadors to the festival and race.

Hoffman is a senior at Purdue University majoring in Professional Flight Technology.

According to the organization’s website, the 500 Festival Princess Program celebrates Indiana’s most civic-minded, poised, academically driven young women. Each year, 33 college-aged women are selected as 500 Festival Princesses and serve as ambassadors of the 500 Festival, their hometowns, and their colleges/universities. Serving as a 500 Festival Princess provides young women with once-in-a-life-time experiences and countless opportunities for leadership and professional development. Since the program’s founding in 1959, more than 1,800 Indiana women have experienced the honor of being selected as a 500 Festival Princess.

Each 500 Festival Princess will participate in the program’s personal and professional development initiative, further empowering participants to make a profound impact within their community and the state of Indiana. In addition, each 500 Festival Princess will receive a $1,000 scholarship, made possible in part by Marlyne Sexton, an Indianapolis philanthropist and president of The Sexton Companies, and the 500 Festival Foundation.

In the months leading up to May, 500 Festival Princesses are 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.

The 2016 500 Festival Princesses represent 13 Indiana colleges and universities and 21 cities and towns across the state. With a cumulative GPA of 3.5, this year’s 500 Festival Princesses were selected from a record number of applicants based upon communication skills, academic performance and community involvement. The 2016 500 Festival Princesses, Indiana hometown, college or university and area of study are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Jessi Arbuckle, Greenwood, a junior at Taylor University majoring Public Relations
Shelby Bradford, Warren, a senior at IUPUI majoring in Nursing
Sarah Correll, Macy, a senior at Purdue University majoring in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Economics
Bianca Davis, Indianapolis, a senior at Indiana University majoring in Economic Consulting and Public Policy Analysis
Nina DeWitt, Stilesville, a junior at IUPUI majoring in Biology and Spanish
Caitlyn Foye, Newburgh, a sophomore at Butler University majoring in Biology
Alyssa Garnett, Winamac, a second year graduate student at Purdue University earning a Masters of Business Administration
Alexandra Harris, Bloomington, a senior at Indiana University majoring in Arts Management
Madeline Hayden, Plainfield, a junior at Purdue University majoring in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
Allison Hoffman, Huntingburg, a senior at Purdue University majoring in Professional Flight Technology
Elyse Hoy, Greenwood, a sophomore at Franklin College studying Biology and Pre-Med
Morgan Jacobs, Fishers, a sophomore at Indiana State University majoring in Business
Kayla Keith, Carmel, a senior at IUPUI majoring in Tourism, Convention and Event Management
Christy Kettler, Westfield, a junior at Purdue University majoring in Agronomy with a focus in Crop and Soil Management
Amber Kriech, Carmel, a junior at IUPUI majoring in Organizational Leadership and Supervision
Rebecca Kuhlman, Indianapolis, a senior at Marian University majoring in Communication
Morgan Lee, Greenwood, a junior at Indiana Wesleyan University majoring in Nursing
Samantha Lozano, East Chicago, a senior at Indiana University majoring in Political Science and Spanish
Claire McElwain, Zionsville, a junior at Indiana University majoring in Journalism
Macy Nikirk, Bedford, a sophomore at IUPUI majoring in Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Katelyn O’Mara, Indianapolis, a senior at Franklin College majoring in Psychology and Studio Art with a focus in Painting
Brianna Perry, Poseyville, a junior at the University of Southern Indiana majoring in Exercise Science and Pre-Physical Therapy
Nilofer Rajpurkar, Greenwood, a junior at Purdue University majoring in Biomedical Engineering
Bukhti Shabbir, Indianapolis, a post graduate student at the University of Indianapolis majoring in Physical Therapy
Briana Smith, Carmel, a junior at Purdue University majoring in Psychology
Madison Stahl, Fishers, a junior at Indiana University majoring in Elementary Education
Ally Stein, Fishers, a junior at Purdue University majoring in Education
Kylee Stewart, Greenfield, a junior at IUPUI majoring in Journalism
Bailey Troutman, Anderson, a sophomore at Indiana University Kokomo majoring in Communication Arts
Caitlyn Waldrop, Hillsdale, a senior at Indiana University studying Biology and Pre-Med
Kayla Wilson, Fishers, a freshman at IUPUI majoring in Civic Leadership
Monica Wright, Indianapolis, a sophomore at Butler University majoring in Marketing and International Business
Brittany Young, Columbus, a freshman at Ivy Tech Community College of Columbus majoring in Agricultural Education

– See more at: http://www.500festival.com/2016Princesses#sthash.x0OFA6nS.dpuf