MAHSHAD TAHERI

by Janet Capiello

This year, three University of Louisville students — Hayley Benson, Mahshad Taheri and Valerie Tran — were on the Derby Festival Royal Court, a group that welcomes visitors from all around the world to the city and state at dozens of events.

Taheri, 21, a senior finance major in the College of Business, was crowned Derby Festival Queen at the 64th annual Fillies Derby Ball on April 15.

In addition to tiaras (and in Taheri’s case, a crown and robe), an awesome wardrobe and front-row seats to the balls, parades, and other events surrounding the Derby, the princesses each won a $2,000 college scholarship.

Candidates for the Princess Program must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average and are selected by a panel of three out-of-state judges. There were more than 100 applicants this year.

Criteria for selection includes knowledge of the Derby Festival, poise, intelligence, personality, and campus and community involvement.

The first Derby Festival Princess was crowned in 1957, the second year of the Festival. Previous princesses have included former Kentucky Gov. Martha Layne Collins and the late Gail Gorski, the first female pilot hired by United Airlines.