Education major experiences Indianapolis 500 as a festival princess
It will be hard to top Macie Troyer’s first experience at the Indianapolis 500.
Sunday, the Indiana University Kokomo sophomore bypassed most of the race day traffic for a quick entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, enjoyed VIP seats, waved to fans from the back of a truck, celebrated with friends after the race, and made a quick, painless exit with little to no traffic.
“We were all joking that traffic is never going to be this easy again,” she said.
Troyer attended her first-ever Indianapolis 500 Sunday as one of 33 500 Festival Princesses, chosen to be ambassadors for the 500 Festival, their hometowns, and their colleges and universities.
Troyer, an elementary education major from Kokomo, learned about the princess program from a teacher she works with at Converse Elementary School.
“I applied for it, and it worked out well,” she said. “It’s a great program for professional development, leadership, community service, and giving back to the community.”
Princesses are chosen based on academic achievement, involvement on their college campuses, and volunteerism. Troyer is part of EdSac at IU Kokomo, serves on the worship team at her church, and volunteers at Converse Elementary, where she is a substitute teacher.
She learned of her selection via email, after two rounds of interviews.
“I definitely was shocked,” she said. “I was not expecting it. I was so incredibly honored. The 32 women I had the opportunity to serve with, they were the most incredibly well-rounded, intelligent women I’ve ever met. They are going to do great things in the world.”
As a 500 Festival Princess, she was part of all festival events, including the rookie run, the parade, the mini marathon, and Breakfast at the Brickyard. She also participated in community outreach, educating Hoosiers about the history of the festival and the legacy of the Indianapolis 500.
Troyer focused her outreach on local elementary schools, including helping at Eastern Elementary’s Kindy 500 and meeting with young children at schools throughout the area.
“I had Josef Newgarden’s book that I read to about 30 classrooms, and I did other presentations at schools,” she said. “That’s what I was really passionate about.”
Troyer also had opportunities for mentoring and networking through the program. As a future teacher, her assigned mentor was Dr. Aleesia Johnson, superintendent of the Indianapolis Public Schools.
She enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the legacy of the Indianapolis 500 and the 500 Festival.
“Seeing the spirit of the 500, and all the Hoosiers getting so excited for the race, that’s my favorite part, being just a small part of that legacy,” she said. “I really found a new passion for the Indianapolis 500.”
As a first-time race attendee, she was surprised by how loud the cars were but enjoyed the excitement of the day. She was amazed to hear that 1 in every 1,100 people in the United States were at the race.
The 2025 princesses represent 17 Indiana colleges and universities and 20 cities and towns statewide. With a cumulative GPA of 3.70, the group was selected from hundreds of applicants based on communication skills, academic performance, community involvement, commitment to service, and leadership.
The young women serve their communities through the festival’s state outreach program, educating Hoosiers about the history of the 500 Festival and legacy of the Indianapolis 500. They also participate in a leadership development program and receive a $1,500 scholarship.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.