Hannah Kruger, a sophomore Psychology and Strategic Communications major from Hillsdale, Indiana, and Allie Watson, a graduate student from New Palestine, Indiana, studying to be a Physician’s Assistant, have been chosen as 500 Festival Princesses for 2017.

The 500 Festival Princesses serve as ambassadors of the Indianapolis 500 Festival.

The 500 Festival Princess Program celebrates Indiana’s most civic-minded, academically driven college-aged women. Serving as a 500 Festival Princess provides young women with opportunities for leadership, networking, and professional development. The 500 Festival Princesses participate in the 500 Festival Leadership Development Program, which empowers participants to make an impact within their community and Indiana.

The 500 Festival Princess program provides each of the 33 princess a $1,000 scholarship, which was made possible by Marlyne Sexton, an Indiana philanthropist and president of The Sexton Companies, in conjunction with individual donors and the 500 Festival Foundation.

The 2017 Festival Princesses represents 13 universities and 22 cities and towns across the state. Averaging a cumulative GPA of 3.7, the princesses were selected among hundreds of other applicants based on communication skills, leadership, scholarship, commitment to service, and professionalism.

Among the 33 2017 Festival Princesses, one princess will be selected as The 500 Festival Queen and will receive an additional $1,500 scholarship. The Queen will be crowned May 20 during the morning of the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard.

More about the 500 Festival’s Princess Program and 2017 Princesses is available at 500festival.com/princessprogram.