INDIANAPOLIS — Columbus’ Melissa Aceves was named the 2022 500 Festival Queen Scholar as festivities got underway Saturday at The Indianapolis 500.
The Columbus North High School graduate is a senior at IUPUI in Indianapolis studying community health. The 500 Festival Queen Scholar receives an additional $1,500 scholarship.
Aceves was named a festival princess in March, one of 33 young women who are Indy 500 envoys during the month of May to promote the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
500 Festival Princesses serve their communities, including the 500 Festival’s statewide outreach program, which educates Hoosiers about the history of the 500 Festival and legacy of the Indianapolis 500, all while creating lifelong, meaningful connections. The 2022 500 Festival Princesses represent 15 Indiana colleges and universities and 22 cities and towns across the state.
Each year, 500 Festival Princesses conduct more than 1,500 community outreaches impacting more than 50,000 people, expanding the celebration and impact of the Indianapolis 500 in a meaningful way.
