SPEEDWAY, Ind. — A Marian University junior from Indianapolis will serve as the Indianapolis 500 Queen Scholar for 2023. The 500 Festival named Mykah Coleman for the honor at Saturday's annual Breakfast at the Brickyard.
Coleman is pursuing a degree in Elementary Education and actively involved in the school's Mentors for Kids program, serving as its general manager. She also serves as the President of Kappa Delta Pi, an Honors Society for Educators, and is also a 21st Century Scholar.
“I am beyond grateful to have this role as a princess because I am able to be an inspiration to all of the little Black and brown girls and boys to show them that no matter what background you come from, what school you went to, what neighborhood you grew up in, you can be amazing and do great things,” said Coleman.
She will receive a $1,500 educational scholarship from the 500 Festival Foundation and wear the one-of-a-kind 500 Festival Queen Scholar’s crown at 500 Festival events and the Indianapolis 500 as well as participate in a variety of activities throughout the week leading up to the race.
Coleman is one of 33 Indiana college-aged women selected for the 2023 500 Festival Princess Program to serve as ambassadors for the festival, their hometowns and their colleges and universities. Each 500 Festival Princess receives a $1,000 scholarship.
The 2023 Princess class represents 19 Indiana colleges and universities and 21 cities and towns across Indiana. With a cumulative GPA of 3.71, this year’s 500 Festival Princesses were selected from hundreds of applicants based on leadership, academic stewardship, community involvement, and their embodiment of the Hoosier spirit.