The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hiring College Program Event Staff!
The College Program is designed for students looking for hands-on experience and career development, and who are interested in being a part of a talent pipeline for careers at Penske Entertainment (IMS, INDYCAR, and IMS Productions.)
Read the testimonials below for a few career success stories and visit ims.com/careers to apply.
Cori Dove, Guest Experience and Programs Coordinator, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Background: My name is Cori Dove and I am the Guest Experience and Programs Coordinator here at IMS. While I am new to his role, this upcoming May will be my third with IMS. I began in the College Program Event Staff position in 2022 and transitioned to the Guest Experience Administration Intern in 2023. I graduated from Florida International University (Online) this past May with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, which is a fancy term for General Studies. My background primarily revolves around the guest services and events industries. Currently, I oversee the College (both Interns and Event Staff) and the Guest Experience Non-Profit programs. With both roles, I focus on recruitment, hiring processes, and event planning/management.
What I love: My favorite part of IMS is the people. Whether it is the staff or the fans, it is not often you get 330,000 people together for one common mission. The feeling that comes along with knowing you were part of making someone’s memories is indescribable.
Advice: I learned that saying “yes” to even the smallest things show who you are as a person. Opportunities don’t often come back again, so putting yourself out there will show that you want to learn from every occasion. On top of that, the more experience you get the more well-rounded you will be, which is what most employers look at when hiring.
Luisa Macer, Manager of Community Outreach and Fan Engagement, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Background: Hi! My name is Luisa Macer and I serve as the Community Outreach and Fan Engagement Manager for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In my role, I am responsible for executing experiential marketing activations and programs for the Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge, Brickyard Weekend and other major INDYCAR events. I also oversee our community partner relationships and activations and building diverse audiences for the Racing Capital of the World and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
I am a proud IUPUI alumni and graduated with a BA in Communication Studies. I was lucky enough to get my start working in sports through Indy Eleven but have also held roles with the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office. Most of my career has been concentrated in marketing, PR, and event strategic roles.
What I love: What’s not to love about Indy. Indy is the reason why I’m working in a dream role and with the most impactful leaders our community has to offer. Not many people get the honor of saying they work for the Largest Single Day Sporting Event in the World – and it’s not a task to take lightly. I love working with amazing colleagues who have worked on Olympics and Super Bowls and who have quite literally shaped this city. I love being able to pour into others and devote my time by serving on multiple boards like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Red Cross, and the NBA All-Star 2024 Committee. Because people in this city have opened doors for me, I have the desire and energy to invest in the next generation of leaders. Whether it’s coffee, lunch, or dinner, I’m always open to chat with individuals about how they can make an impact and become involved.
Advice: Be comfortable with being uncomfortable! Experiences that make you venture outside of your comfort zone are when you grow and learn the most about yourself. Continue to always be a life-long learner and maintain a curious mind!
Meg Lanham, Senior Client Services Representative, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Background: My name is Meg Lanham, and I serve as a Senior Client Services Representative here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. My freshman year of college I quickly learned that Forensic Science was not the major for me. I knew deep down I thrived on the busy life of events and working with people. I soon found the Tourism and Event Management program and decided to pursue that path. After just a few months, I knew it was a fit. My sophomore year I started an internship at IMS and made it my goal to work here upon college graduation.
What I love: I love working for an organization and venue that has such a large impact. It is easy to get caught up in the mundane tasks of day-to-day work, but when I step back and realize what the Indianapolis 500 does for the community, I get chills. This event truly brings the city, state, and sports world together. I love to say that I am part of that larger mission.
Advice: The biggest piece of advice I would give a college student is to get involved in anything you can during your college career. Say yes to volunteer, part-time, and/or internship opportunities. I used these opportunities to learn what parts of the industry I enjoyed and those that were not for me. These opportunities allowed me to connect with professionals that I now work with daily.
David Letherman, Sr. Manager of Event Personnel
Background: My name is David Letherman (no, not Letterman) and I am the Sr. Manager of Event Personnel here at IMS. 2024 will be my 10th May and I have worked at IMS for my whole professional career. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Business Management and joined a program called the Orr Fellowship, a two-year placement program for businesses based in Indianapolis. I was originally assigned to work with Allison Melangton on special projects around the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500. After the Fellowship ended, I wanted to stay at IMS and found an opening in Operations and Event Staffing. I have been in this and similar roles ever since. My primary responsibility at IMS is to manage Guest Experience event staff, logistical planning for traffic, facility set-up, and gate layouts. And of course, other duties as assigned!
Advice: I think to excel in this line of work, you have to love the people. Some days they drive you nuts, other times they save the day. But at the end of it all, they become your family. And for much of the year, you see your staff more than you see your own actual family. These connections with event staff, just like any other relationship, require attention, sincerity, and trust – which can be really challenging sometimes. But if you put your heart into it, you will find that people will give you a lot and will build a culture that more people will want to be a part of.
Ellen Saul, Senior Director of Premium Services, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 34 years in Sports & Events
Background: My career started in college. Sort of. At IU, I stumbled upon Student Athletic Board (SAB) and by my senior year, I served as Director of Operations. The friends I met through SAB have lasted more than 35 years and the experience set me up for success. I knew then that I wanted to do “professional SAB” for life. After two years in an unrelated job that just didn’t feel right, I took a post-college do-over and took an internship at what is now the Lucas Oil Stadium. I fell in love with the mission, energy, passion, detail, community, and chaos, and ended up staying for five years. Next came 19 years as president of an Indianapolis event company where I worked on some of Indianapolis’ most impactful events including four NCAA Final Fours and the Super Bowl, and ten years with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. My career has focused on helping attract, strategically plan, and successfully host some of the most influential events in Indianapolis.
What I love: I love working with young people and serving as a mentor, working with a large team toward a common goal (in our case, Race Day), strategizing and solving problems, and making people happy (in our case, customers and drivers). I love the community of Indianapolis and being a small part of something important to its economy, and I love everything mentioned before – the energy, mission, passion, detail, community, and chaos of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Advice: Get experience and build your resume, seek more than one internship, get out there and make connections, and listen, observe, and act interested. Embrace every opportunity and don’t consider yourself above any request or activity.
