you were a girl ...

did you imagine a future filled with hope and promise? But then your life took an unexpected turn, and

When

put your dreams on hold? Are you ready to begin your newlife?

you were forced to

The Soroptimist Womens Opportunity Awards Program

The Womens Opportunity Awards program assists women who are overcoming personal difficulties and who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. Womens Opportunity Award recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition and transportation. The Womens Opportunity Awards program involves three levels of cash awards. The program begins at the local Soroptimist club-level, where award amounts vary. Local-level award recipients become eligible for region-level awards of either $3,000 or $5,000. Region-level award recipients then become eligible to receive one of three international-level awards of $10,000.

Pachara Y., a domestic abuse survivor, found herself alone in a foreign country with three young children to support. She has learned to speak the language of her adopted land and is pursuing a career in nursing.

A single mother of five, Kathy M. was barely surviving on public assistance. Today Kathy is a dental hygienist and small business owner.

Peggy M. transformed her life from a single mom earning minimum wage at a fast food restaurant to a college graduate who makes her living as a professional speaker and published author.

Guadalupe V. was a young wife trapped in a violent marriage, in a country that was not her own. A single mom to two children, Guadalupe eventually graduated from a Ph.D. program and has helped other women to leave abusive situations.

Marina G. was a struggling single mom who ran in marathons and used the cash prizes to support her family. She recently obtained a degree in physical education.

Womens Opportunity Awards

A program of Soroptimist International of the Americas

INSTRUCTIONS Deadline: Applications are due each year by December 1 to the address listed below in Step 4. Award recipients will be notified between January and June. STEP 1: DETERMINE IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE Eligible applicants must be women who: Provide the primary financial support for her dependents (including children, spouse, siblings and/or parents). Demonstrate financial need. Are enrolled in, or have been accepted to, a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program. Are motivated to achieve their educational and career goals. Reside in one of Soroptimist International of the Americas member countries or territories. Have not previously been the recipient of a Soroptimist Womens Opportunity Award; are not a Soroptimist member, employee of Soroptimist or immediate family of either. STEP 2: COMPLETE THE APPLICATION It is very important that you first save the writable PDF application file onto your computer or a USB/thumb drive if you are working on a public computer. Otherwise, you risk losing any information you have entered and will need to begin again. Once you have completed the application, select Save As from the File menu and change the file name (for example, WOAappLG.pdf, where LG are your initials.) Then click Save. Click here for more instructions on using writeable PDF forms. STEP 3: OBTAIN REFERENCES You will need two different people (NOT related to you) to fill out the reference form. Please email this form to your references and request that they email it back to you when complete. Click here to access the reference form. STEP 4: EMAIL YOUR APPLICATION Completed applications must be submitted to the appropriate address based upon where you reside. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered. Eligible applications include a complete application form and two reference forms. Submit your application to applications@soroptimist.org. QUESTIONS? Please refer to the Soroptimist Womens Opportunity Awards Frequently Asked Questions or contact siahq@soroptimist.org.

Womens Opportunity Awards

A program of Soroptimist International of the Americas

PART IPERSONAL DATA

Kuhlmann, Dana M.
Name (last, first, middle initial)

7621 Leawood Blvd

Address (number and street address)

Little Rock
City/Province

AR
State

72205
Postal Code

USA
Country

870-715-5484
Telephone (area code first)

kenpokaratelady@hotmail.com
E-mail Address

01/13/1973
Date of Birth

Divorced
Marital Status

1
Number of Dependents Applicant Supports (NOT including self)

Son
Dependents Relationship to Applicant (children, spouse, siblings, parents, etc.)

11
Ages of Dependents (if children)

PART IICAREER GOALS A. Please list the school you are currently attending, or to which you have been accepted, and your proposed program of study (example: San Jose State University, four-year bachelor of science degree program in nursing).

University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), four-year bachelor of English with Creative Writing
B. When will you complete your program of study (month and year)?

06/2014
C. Are you currently employed? (click) YES NO If yes, how many hours per week do you work? D. Please describe (in 300 words or less) your career goals and how your education and/or skills training support those goals in the space provided below.

I would like use my writing skills to get a job working as a contributor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. While, submitting my stories to different publishers. If I am unable to find a position in print or online. I will use the fact that I have a degree to get a job as a substitute teacher. Any of these careers have a greater earning potential than Server- the job I have been supporting us with for about a year and a half or a Cashier (which is what I supported us doing for 2 years before that).

PART IIIPERSONAL STATEMENT The Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards aid women who have faced economic and personal hardships, and are seeking to gain additional skills, training and education. The program helps women who serve as the primary wage earners for their families to enter or return to the work force, or to improve their employment status. In the space provided below, please tell us in 750 words or less how these statements apply to you, and why you would make a deserving Women's Opportunity Award recipient.

I am living in Little Rock, Arkansas right now, because I saw this as my greatest opportunity to get away from an abusive relationship that I had been a part of in Harrison, Arkansas. I am applying for jobs everyday, and I have gotten enrolled at UALR. I have been the primary support for my eleven-year-old son and myself for his whole life. I am finishing my degree, so that we will be able to get off of SNAP and Medicaid. I am a good mother, but a poor judge of character. After his father cheated on me, I moved myself and my son to Harrison to live with family. I met and fell in love with a man 12 years my junior. I did not realize how much his immaturity would affect us. I spent six years being the mother of two boys (and only one of them was actually mine) . We got a divorce. After that, with help from HUD and Food Stamps I was able to meagerly support my little family on wages from Dairy Queen. I got a job at a restaurant thinking that tips might improve my income. It was more like feast 20% of the time with famine getting 80%. I met a tall, Italian-looking man more my age. He was nice at first, and Leo has the ability to be very nice to get what he wants. His temper is horrible, though. He would be mean, I would kick him out, 2 weeks later he would call and be sweet, and I would take him back- it was an ugly pattern. After he tried to strangle me and threw me on the ground when my child was so scared he went to his bedroom and tried to find his knife, I called 911, and put him in jail. He got out after 12 hours, though, and Kota and I were living in the women's shelter. After much thought and in order to break the pattern, I packed up our stuff, and my son and I are in a safe place in Little Rock. I would appreciate any help at all that you could give me. Thank you.

PART IVFINANCIAL NEED The Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards are given based in part on financial need. Your total income will be compared to your total annual expenses. Please be as exact as you can. A. Total annual household income from all sources (include your income from employment, savings, child support, alimony, Social Security benefits, government assistance, and school loans or scholarships. Also include all income received by any other household members).

$7848
B. Please list your annual educational expenses onlydo not include those of your children or other family members. Tuition/School Fees $9000 Other (please describe) C. Please list your family's annual living expenses in the chart below. Housing $ 2400 Food $ 3000 Childcare $ per year per year per year Utilities $ Medical $ Transportation $ Books $2100

2400 3600

per year per year per year

Other (please list additional expenses and assign a dollar value to each in the spaces below) Expense: Expense: Expense: Total expenses per year $

Insurance
Cell Phone

$ 600 $ 600 $

per year per year per year

12600

PART VREFERENCES You will need two different people (NOT related to you) to fill out the reference form (ReferenceForm.pdf). Please email this form to your references and request that they email the forms back to you when completed. PART VIAGREEMENT I certify that all information provided in this application is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I will notify the designated club to which I have submitted this application if there are any changes. I understand that this award is not a scholarship and is therefore taxable for citizens of the United States. (For more information, consult IRS publication 520. Recipients in other countries should check their local tax laws.) I certify that this is the only application I have made this year for a Women's Opportunity Award from this or any other Soroptimist club. I understand that my application becomes the property of Soroptimist International of the Americas. The application will be considered confidential, unless the applicant grants Soroptimist written permission to release personal information for the purpose of publicizing the Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards program. By typing your name below you adhere to the above requirements. Signature of Applicant

Dana M. Kuhlmann

5/8/2013
Date

Submit your application to applications@soroptimist.org.