This year’s races generated $5,929 from student ticket sales to help fight food insecurity on the IU Bloomington campus.
James Brosher
The 34th running of the women’s Little 500 and the 71st running of the men’s Little 500 drew more than 16,500 spectators attending both events April 22 and April 23 at Bill Armstrong Stadium — the first time in two years the races were open to in-person spectators.
“We were thrilled to welcome students, alumni, and friends of the university back to Bloomington for this year’s Little 500,” said Andrea Hardisty, director of the IU Student Foundation. “It was wonderful to see the stands full and everyone’s continued support of this tradition that develops student leaders and supports students on the IU Bloomington campus.”
Proceeds from the Little 500 have contributed more than $2.5 million in student scholarships since it began in 1951. This year’s races generated $5,929 from student ticket sales to help fight food insecurity on the IU Bloomington campus. Salesforce.org, an official Little 500 sponsor, is contributing an additional $5,000 to support this cause.
This year the IU Student Foundation members raised awareness about food insecurity resources available to students, including the Crimson Cupboard. The Students Helping Students campaign is also supporting the fight against food insecurity by contributing to the IU Bloomington Food Insecurity Fund. This fund expands resources on campus, such as a meal point donation program and a second Crimson Cupboard location in the Indiana Memorial Union.
This academic year, the IU Student Foundation also awarded $276,680 in scholarships for undergraduate students on the Bloomington campus and grants supporting university student organizations.
Twenty-two teams competed in this year’s women’s Little 500, and 33 teams competed in the men’s race. First-time winner Melanzana Cycling won the women’s race, and Phi Delta Theta claimed victory in the men’s race.
The Media School again partnered with the IU Student Foundation and the Little 500. Both races were broadcasted live and had nearly 5,000 viewers from 30 countries. Recordings of both the women’s and men’s races are available at broadcast.iu.edu.
