Batesville Native Selected as 500 Festival Princess

Vicky Zheng is among 33 Festival Princesses.

INDIANAPOLIS - The 500 Festival today announced those selected as 2025 500 Festival Princesses. 

The 500 Festival Princess Program is a tribute to Indiana's most community-oriented and academically accomplished young women. Every year, 33 college-aged women are selected as 500 Festival Princesses, entrusted with the role of being ambassadors for the 500 Festival, their hometowns, and their respective colleges and universities. 

Locally, Batesville native Vicky Zheng was selected to be among the 33 women chosen for the program. Zheng, a graduate of Batesville High School, is currently a junior at Purdue University where she is studying Biomedical Health Sciences. 

Being a 500 Festival Princess opens the door to unparalleled experiences and an abundance of leadership and professional growth prospects. Since its inception in 1959, over 2,000 outstanding Indiana women have had the honor of being selected as 500 Festival Princesses, leaving a lasting impact on their college campuses and communities. 

Each 500 Festival Princess receives:

• Opportunity to serve as an ambassador for the 500 Festival, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, city of Indianapolis, and the state of Indiana

• $1,500 scholarship to assist with educational expenses, made possible by Marlyne Sexton, an Indianapolis philanthropist and president of The Sexton Companies, and the 500 Festival Foundation

• Leadership development opportunities and unique access to professional development and networking events

• Opportunities to create lifelong connections with business and community leaders

• 500 Festival branded apparel

The 2025 500 Festival Princesses represented 17 Indiana colleges and universities and 20 cities and towns across the state. With a cumulative GPA of 3.70, this class was selected from hundreds of applicants based on communication skills, academic performance, community involvement, commitment to service, and leadership.

For more information, visit https://500festival.com/programs/princess-program/.