# @lifeatpurdue on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DJhpUwTtRoa
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/30408499-lifeatpurdue-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/0486696d8d.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-05-11T19:53:19.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Purdue University (@LifeAtPurdue) — https://gondola.cc/LifeAtPurdue

## Caption

For six Purdue students, participating in the 2025 500FestivalPrincess Program is about more than becoming highly visible ambassadors for the world’s greatest auto race, the #Indy500. 🏎 

It’s also about serving and representing their communities. 

It’s about mentorship, academic excellence and personal growth. 

And it’s about adding to a state tradition that dates back to 1959. 

“Growing up in central Indiana, I experienced the impact of the 500 Festival and was personally inspired by the service of the princesses,” says 500Festival Princess Claire Bishop, a sophomore from Pendleton who is double majoring in brain and behavioral sciences (PurdueHHS) and public relations and strategic communication (PurdueCom). “So as a college student, I wanted to serve in this way to give back to an organization that has tremendously impacted Hoosiers for many generations.” 

In addition to Bishop, these five Boilermaker women join a group of 33 Indiana natives selected for this year’s class, each of whom attends a university within her home state: 

👑 Reetika Hogade, sophomore in biomedical engineering (PurdueBME) from Indianapolis 
👑 Jaliyah Minka, junior in cybersecurity (TechPurdue) from Indianapolis 
👑 Anjali Natarajan, senior in biomedical health sciences from Zionsville 
👑 Ava Rose, junior in speech, language, and hearing sciences (PurdueSLHS) from Terre Haute 
👑 Vicky Zheng, junior in biomedical health sciences from Batesville 

Congratulations to each #Boilermaker in the #PrincessProgram for joining this select group of women. Your communities, and your university, are proud of your accomplishments!

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## Tags

princessprogram, indy500, boilermaker

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