Navigating the Path to Scholarships: A Guide to Crowned Princess and Other Opportunities

Pursuing higher education is a significant investment, and scholarships play a crucial role in making college accessible. This article explores eligibility requirements for the Crowned Princess Scholarship and other related opportunities, providing a comprehensive guide for aspiring students.

Understanding the Crowned Princess Scholarship

Established in 2015, the Crowned Princess Scholarship aims to support young women's college education, with a focus on financial assistance and mentorship. Sixteen young women have benefited from this scholarship since its inception. The scholarship targets young BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) women from New York City who are passionate about academic success and leadership.

General Scholarship Application Tips

Before diving into specific scholarships, it's essential to understand the broader application landscape. Completing a Federal Application Form for Student Aid (FAFSA) is often a crucial first step. While FAFSA doesn't directly provide state-level benefits, many state programs require it or may require exhausting FAFSA options before applying.

New York State Scholarships and Programs

New York State offers a range of scholarships and programs for diverse student populations, including military members, veterans, and their families.

Veteran Tuition Awards: These awards are available for both full-time and part-time coursework in New York State.
Scholarships for Full-Time Students: New York residents enrolled full-time at a New York college may be eligible for scholarships around $5,000. Eligibility often hinges on good academic standing and a small annual cash investment in the student's education.
Scholarships for Part-Time Students: Some New York State scholarships, ranging from $500 to $1,000, are specifically for part-time students attending colleges or universities within the state.
Scholarships for High School Juniors: High school juniors demonstrating financial need can apply for scholarships, such as a $10,000 award.

Exploring the 500 Festival Princess Program

The 500 Festival Princess Program, presented by The National Bank of Indianapolis, recognizes community-oriented and academically accomplished young women in Indiana. Each year, 33 college-aged women are selected as 500 Festival Princesses, serving as ambassadors for the 500 Festival, their hometowns, and their respective colleges and universities.

Benefits of the 500 Festival Princess Program

Each 500 Festival Princess receives:

An opportunity to serve as an ambassador for the 500 Festival, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the city of Indianapolis, and the state of Indiana.
A $1,500 scholarship to assist with educational expenses, made possible by Marlyne Sexton and the 500 Festival Foundation.
Leadership development opportunities and access to professional development and networking events.
Opportunities to create connections with business and community leaders.

Eligibility Criteria for the 500 Festival Princess Program

To be considered for the 500 Festival Princess Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Academic & Enrollment Requirements:
- Be currently enrolled as a full-time student at a fully accredited college or university in Indiana and remain enrolled through Spring 2026.
  - Undergraduate: Minimum of 12 academic credit hours.
  - Graduate: Minimum of 9 academic credit hours.
- Be in good academic standing (not on scholastic probation).
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Personal Eligibility:
- Be at least 18 years old by January 1, 2026, and no older than 23 by May 31, 2026.
- Identify as female.
- Claim legal Indiana residency, with proof via a valid Indiana driver’s license or state-issued ID.
Character & Involvement:
- Be actively involved in at least one extracurricular or community service activity.
Required Participation:
- Be available to fully participate in 500 Festival events during Spring 2026.
- Attend mandatory events, including interviews and orientation.
Logistics:
- Be able to provide your own transportation and parking for all events and activities.
Application Deadline:
- Submit a complete online application by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Responsibilities of a 500 Festival Princess

A 500 Festival Princess:

Represents the 500 Festival by actively supporting its mission, values, and goals.
Participates in 500 Festival outreach initiatives throughout Indiana.
Engages with activities surrounding the 500 Festival and Indianapolis Motor Speedway throughout Spring 2026.
Learns by taking advantage of opportunities for personal development, volunteerism, and community involvement.

Mandatory Events for 500 Festival Princesses

Mandatory events include:

500 Festival Princess Program Orientation
500 Festival Princess Program Reception
IU Health 500 Festival Mini-Marathon
JPMorganChase 500 Festival Kids’ Day & 500 Festival Rookie Run, presented by Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital
500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, presented by CHA & 500 Festival Volunteer Appreciation Day
The American Legion 500 Festival Memorial Service
Lucas Oil 500 Festival Parade
The Indianapolis 500

Community Outreach Program

As ambassadors, the 500 Festival Princesses play a role in the organization’s outreach initiative. Each Princess is responsible for securing community outreaches within her hometown, college town, or Indianapolis, working with the 500 Festival staff to develop messaging and presentations.

Additional 500 Festival Princess Program Policies

Selection prohibits eligibility in future selections.
Princesses are expected to act professionally at all times.
Inappropriate behavior can result in dismissal.
Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages are not allowed at 500 Festival/IndyCar/IMS events.
The 500 Festival events and activities are a top priority throughout April and May.
The Princesses acknowledge it is in the interest of the 500 Festival and IMS to make appearances on behalf of the organizations, without compensation.
Fraternization between IndyCar staff, drivers, crew members, and guests of the IMS and/or the 500 Festival by Princesses during their term is forbidden.
Inappropriate content posted on the internet may lead to dismissal.
No Princess will participate in any outreach, media appearance, social media endeavor, or event as a 500 Festival Princess without express consent from the 500 Festival’s Princess Program Director.
Excessive absenteeism can result in dismissal.

The 500 Festival Queen Scholar

One 500 Festival Princess will be selected to serve as the 500 Festival Queen Scholar, participating in 500 Festival and Indianapolis Motor Speedway events throughout May, making media and public appearances, and working with the 500 Festival staff to develop messaging and presentations.

The Impact of the 500 Festival Princess Program

As ambassadors, Princesses play a critical role in the execution of the 500 Festival’s mission to produce life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500 and foster a positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana.

The Delaware Tribal Princess Program

Young women of descent from the Delaware Tribe of Indians can become ambassadors for the Tribe. Candidates must be 13-21 years of age and must be an enrolled member or descendant of the Delaware Tribe of Indians.

Responsibilities of the Delaware Tribal Princess

Serve as a Delaware Tribal Ambassador, representing yourself, your family, your community, and your tribe.
Be courteous and respectful to Delaware Tribal committees/employees assisting in the organization of your duties and events.
Participate in all relevant functions, meetings, and Delaware Tribal current events as possible during your term as Princess.
Attend Delaware Tribal events, including cultural classes, language classes, and the dances that are scheduled.
Attend quarterly meetings held by the committee and your presence may be requested at additional meetings as needed.
Be able to attend in person for the crowning of you as Princess, and the passing of the Crown to the next Princess the following year.

Requirements for the Delaware Tribal Princess

The Crown received by you must be kept in good, clean condition. It cannot be altered in any way.
During your reign as “Delaware Tribal Princess” you must wear traditional Delaware clothing and/or contemporary Native Fashion (e.g. ribbon skirt) and banner in public appearances.
The Delaware Princess Committee will provide the princess her sash/banner, shawl, and the comb/crown.
A stipend of $1500 will be awarded to help with the cost of travel expenses.
Ability to participate in events requested by the committee including relevant functions, cultural events, and Delaware Tribal events during your term as Princess.
Submit two (2) letters of recommendation from any of the following: Local Chapter Officials, Clergy, Academic Counselors, Community Leaders, etc.

The Princess Grace Awards

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA supports emerging artists in theater, dance, and film through grants and career support. The Princess Grace Awards recognize both creative generators (theater directors, designers, choreographers, film directors, etc.) and performance-based creatives (actors, dancers, etc.). In the film discipline, applications are only accepted from film directors.

Eligibility for the Princess Grace Awards

Applicants must be based artists currently living and working in the United States.
U.S. citizens must have permanent work authorization from USCIS.
All applicants must be nominated by a non-profit university, organization, media arts center, or previous Princess Grace Award winner. Self-nominations are not allowed.
An artist can only be nominated by 1 organization or individual in a given year.
Applications are evaluated on the individual artist’s artistic merits.

The Application Process for the Princess Grace Awards

The Princess Grace Awards is a 2-part application process.

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Round 1: Nomination & Artist Statement
- Deadline: February 2
- Artists are nominated and together with their nominator submit their nominator’s letter of recommendation, artist statement, CV, and a short work sample.
Round 2: Full Application
- Deadline: May 1
- Applicants invited to continue in the application process submit additional written material and work samples.

Application Materials for the Princess Grace Awards

Round 1:
- Application (using Submittable)
- CV (including all relevant experience and dates)
- Recommendation letter from Nominator (not to exceed 650 words)
- Applicant Artist Statement (written, not to exceed 650 words, or video, not to exceed 3 minutes)
- Work Sample (Length Time: 2 minutes)
Round 2:
- Application (using the same Submittable account)
- Creative Process (statement describing your process or approach to the creation or performance of one of your work samples, not to exceed one page)
- Additional Letter of Recommendation (from a teacher, mentor, or peer in their field, not to exceed 650 words)
- Work Samples (Length Time: 10 minutes cumulative for ALL samples submitted, up to 3 work samples)
- Full Work (OPTIONAL, may not exceed 20 minutes)

Evaluation of Emerging and Extraordinary

The Princess Grace Foundation defines “emerging” as artists who are at the early stage of their artistic practice. Applicants should present a sufficient body of work that demonstrates the promise of extraordinary while remaining in the early phase of their career development.

In evaluating “extraordinary” the panel considers:

Artistic intentionality, which may include commitment to applicant’s craft, impact in the field, or innovation.
Demonstration of technique in artistic practice.

Work Sample Guidelines for the Princess Grace Awards

The work sample should be a continuous selection from 1 work sample.
The sample cannot exceed 2 minutes (Round 1) or 10 minutes cumulative (Round 2).
The work sample should be created within the last five years.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

Yellow Ribbon Program: This program helps veterans pay for college expenses not covered by the GI Bill.

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