Alex Corby didn’t set out to be part of an Indy 500–winning team.

In fact, when he first started thinking about college, he wasn’t even sure he’d stay in Indiana. Growing up traveling the country as a competitive mountain biker, he assumed he would head out of state. But one visit to Butler University changed that.

“I toured Butler and just fell in love with it,” he says. “It kind of captured my heart.”

That moment reshaped the path he thought he’d take. Instead of leaving, Alex found himself at the Lacy School of Business, where he began building the foundation for a career centered on creativity, connection, and opportunity.

As a marketing major, he was already drawn to storytelling and strategy. He added entrepreneurship after realizing how much he enjoyed building things of his own. During college, he launched a business buying and selling high-end bicycles — an experience that demanded time, discipline, and a willingness to take risks.

“I had a few entrepreneurial endeavors that I had success in,” he says. “That was probably the biggest one.”

Long before that, though, his interest in business started in a bike shop. As a teenager working on the sales floor, Alex learned how to connect with customers and communicate with people well beyond his years.

“Being able to connect with an older audience and find success… that’s really what sparked my passion,” he says.

That ability to build relationships would prove to be one of the most important parts of his journey at Butler.

Through the Lacy School’s emphasis on mentorship, Alex connected with his Executive Career Mentor, Randy Brown, who introduced him to Meyer Shank Racing, a top IndyCar team. The opportunity came together quickly, but the scale of it was undeniable.

After interviewing, he earned a role as a social media intern just as the season began. What followed was far more expansive than he expected.

“I was doing a lot more than just social media,” he says. “Working with sponsors, creating reports, helping everything come together.”

Each day looked different. Some were spent building content or analyzing data. Others involved coordinating with partners, supporting sponsorship activations, or helping manage the fast-moving demands of race weekends. Especially during the month of May, the pace was nonstop.

“It’s pretty chaotic,” he says with a laugh. “There’s so much that happens behind the scenes.”

That environment gave him a front-row seat to how major brands, partnerships, and performance all intersect at the highest level of sports. It also pushed him to adapt quickly and take ownership of his role.

Then came race day at the Indianapolis 500.

While millions watched, Alex was working behind the scenes, helping manage a suite of executives from major sponsoring companies. His role was to make sure everything ran smoothly –- an assignment that required trust, attention to detail, and the ability to stay composed in a high-pressure environment.

At the same time, out on the track, something unexpected was being built.

With laps winding down, it became clear that driver Felix Rosenqvist had a real chance to win.

“I remember thinking, ‘holy crap… he could really do this,’” Alex says.

Wanting to take in the moment, he stepped out into the stands. With one lap to go, he FaceTimed his family, sharing the final seconds in real time.

And then, just like that, it happened.

The checkered flag waved. The crowd erupted. And Alex found himself part of something far bigger than he had imagined just a few months earlier.

“It feels like a dream, honestly,” he says. “To play even a small part in it.”

What followed was a blur: celebration, movement, and responsibility. As the team made its way to Victory Lane, Alex helped escort executives down to the track, shifting quickly from observer back into his role. In between the chaos, there was a moment to take it all in.

“Being down by the bricks and just looking around… it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” he says.

For Alex, the moment carried deeper meaning. With family ties to racing and a father who had moved across the country for opportunities in the industry, the experience felt personal.

“It’s hard to even put into words what that meant,” he says.

He’s quick to point out that experiences like this don’t happen in isolation. At the Lacy School of Business, he developed the work ethic and resilience needed to succeed in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.

“The work ethic Butler builds –- that’s a big part of it,” he says.

Equally important were the relationships. Mentorship and connection played a direct role in opening the door that led him here in the first place.

Now, as he approaches graduation in December 2026, Alex is still processing the scale of what he experienced.

“You don’t really realize how big of a deal it is,” he says. “You’re an intern, and you just won the biggest race in the world.”

The experience has already started to shape what comes next, with new opportunities emerging and a growing interest in staying in the racing world.

“I’ve definitely been bit by the bug,” he says with a laugh.

Still, his path wasn’t something he mapped out from the beginning.

“I don’t think I ever thought I’d be part of a racing team,” he says. “It just kind of fell into place.”

He followed his interests, worked hard, built relationships, and stayed open to opportunity.

And because of that, while still a student, he was able to play a role in helping a team win the biggest single-day sporting event in the world.