SI Mendocino-Sonoma Coast Women's Opportunity Award

Welcome to Soroptimist International of Mendocino-Sonoma Coast, Inc.

Women's Opportunity Awards aid mature women who must enter or return to the job market. These women need additional skills, training and education to upgrade their employment status. Candidates should be heads of households completing undergraduate programs, or entering vocational or technical training programs.

Soroptimist International of the Americas is one of four federations of the world's largest classified service organizations for executive and professional women. More than 47,000 members in almost 1,500 clubs in 18 countries and territories belong to Soroptimist International of the Americas.

INSTRUCTIONS

Please complete this application as thoroughly as possible and return it with completed references to the designated address at the bottom of page 4 - BEFORE THE DECEMBER 19 DEADLINE. Contact us for the most current information & deadlines - club @ simsc.org, omit the spaces in the email address.

Before you begin completing this application, BE SURE THAT YOU MEET THE WOMEN'S OPPORTUNITY AWARDS CRITERIA:

	1.  The applicant shows characteristics of maturity in that she is 
	    motivated to improve her skills and qualifications, and can 
	    accept responsibility.
	2.  The applicant is the head of her household or has a family
	    financially dependent on her.
	3.  The applicant clearly indicates that specific educational
	    training is necessary for her entry or reentry into the job
	    market, which will ultimately enable her to move to a higher
	    grade job level.
	4.  The applicant shows financial need.
	5.  The applicant is entering a vocational or technical training
	    program, or is completing an undergraduate degree.

Soroptimists, Soroptimist employees, and the immediate families of both are ineligible.

Applications should be typed. If you absolutely cannot have your application typed, USE BLACK INK AND PRINT VERY NEATLY.

PART I. PERSONAL DATA

Name ________________________________________________________________________
           (last)                    (first)                    (middle)
Mailing Address _____________________________________________________________
                                    (number and street)
City/Province, State ________________ Country ______ Postal/Zip Code ________

Area Code/Telephone _________________ Social Security No. ___________________

Birth date ________ Marital Status _______ No. of Dependents _________________

Relationship ________________________________________________________________
                    (if dependents are children, please list their ages)

PART II. OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCE

List your most recent employment first and any work experience that directly relates to, or may have helped prepare you for, your CAREER GOAL

Employer	Dates
Address	Salary
Responsibilities
Reason for Leaving
Employer	Dates
Address	Salary
Responsibilities
Reason for Leaving

PART III. EDUCATION AND OTHER EXPERIENCE

List schools attended and any in which you are currently enrolled. Remember to include any training you have received that helped you prepare for you CAREER GOAL. (Mention certificates you have earned.)

School	Location	Dates Attended	Field of Study	Graduation Date/ Degree

Have you ever received a scholarship, fellowship, grant or award for education/training accomplishments?

Source	Amount	School	Dates

Note any educational achievements. Include your grade point average, your course load, school committees you may have worked on, student government, etc. Only cite examples of recent accomplishments (within the last five years AT MOST

PART IV. GOALS

Use separate sheets of paper to respond to questions #4 and #5. Limit each answer to one typewritten page.

1. Are you currently enrolled in school (or have you been accepted)? Yes ___ No ___

2. Name of institution you are enrolled in or plan to enroll in:

__________________________________________________________________________

3. Approximate period of study (months/years) needed to accomplish your education goals:

	From: _______________ to ____________________

4. Describe your career goals. List immediate and future goals in your chose field of study.

5. After completing your program of study, how will you participate in and contribute to your community?

PART V. PERSONAL STATEMENT

Why do you feel you would make a suitable Women's Opportunity Award recipient? Address the criteria for this program and any adverse conditions you have overcome. Use a separate piece of paper to respond. Your answer should not exceed one typewritten page.

PART VI. FINANCES

It is essential that this section reflect a TRUE picture of your financial need. Judges consider your total income and compare this to your expenses. Please be as candid as possible. In the "gross annual income" section, please report all amounts in annual/yearly figures (monthly x 12). In the "other" section, include any forms of income from odd jobs, Social Security benefits, public assistance, etc.

Annual Family Income

1. Gross annual income:	Source	Amount
Applicant
Spouse
Other Household Members
TOTAL GROSS INCOME
2. Savings available for school
3. Loans/scholarships
4. Other (benefits, child support, alimony, etc.

Projected Estimate of Annual Expenses

5. Applicant's education expenses - this category refers to YOUR education expenses ONLY (not of your children/dependents). Transportation refers to either public transportation expenses when going to school or training, and/or cost of gas and car maintenance.

	Tuition ___________ Books ___________ Transportation ________________

	Other (describe): ___________________________________________________

6. Annual family living expenses - this is also an annual figure. Where applicable, list amounts for the following: housing, food, utilities, clothing, car payments, day care, medical and other expenses for yourself and all dependents (itemize, if you wish, or estimate total):

PART VII. REFERENCES

Using the attached Personal Reference form, submit TWO references - from people who are not related to you - along with your completed application. References must be sent with your completed application.

PART VIII. AGREEMENT

I understand that my application and supporting information become the property of SIA, and they shall have discretionary authority in all matters pertaining to this award.

Completed application and references must be received by the local Soroptimist club by December 15.

I understand that this award is taxable in the United States. (Recipients in other areas should check local tax laws.)

I certify that the information in this application is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge, and I will notify the designated Soroptimist club if there are any changes.

I certify that this is the only application I have made this year for this award from this or any other Soroptimist club.

Signature of Applicant _____________________________ Date ________________

SOROPTIMIST CLUB MUST COMPLETE THIS BOX PRIOR TO DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION

APPLICANT: RETAIN THIS INFORMATION FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

Send completed application to:

Soroptimist International of _______________________ Region ______________
Attention: Name _________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________________________________________________

SPONSORING SOROPTIMIST CLUB MUST RECEIVE COMPLETED APPLICATION AND REFERENCES BY DECEMBER 15.

Soroptimist International of the Americas

PERSONAL REFERENCE FOR A
WOMEN'S OPPORTUNITY AWARDS CANDIDATE

Thank you for taking the next few minutes of your time to recommend ____________________ for consideration as a Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards candidate. Criteria for selection for this award are printed on the reverse side of this form. Please use your personal knowledge of this candidate to respond to the following questions.

1. How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity (friend, employer, instructor, etc.)?

2. What is your personal knowledge of the candidate's strengths/responsibilities in her life? (Address specific examples of accomplishments at work, school, home, community, place of worship, etc.)

3. What is your personal knowledge of the candidate's educational goals and her progress toward accomplishing these goals? (Consider any barriers/difficulties this person has overcome.)

4. Is there any additional information you would like to mention that you think the judges should know about the candidate? (Please refer to the criteria on the reverse side of this form.)





Name __________________________________________________Date _________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________

Telephone______________________

Please return completed reference to the applicant for submission with application.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF WOMEN'S OPPORTUNITY AWARDS RECIPIENTS

These awards assist mature women who must enter or return to the job market. These women need additional skills, training and education to upgrade their employment status.

The recommended guidelines for choosing a recipient should include all or most of the following:

	1.  The applicant shows characteristic of maturity in that she:
		a.  can adapt to new situations;
		b.  is motivate to improve;
		c.  can accept responsibility.
	2.  The applicant should be the head of her household with financial
	    responsibility for her dependent(s).
	3.  The applicant clearly indicates that specific educational training
	    is necessary for her entry or re-entry into the job market, which
	    will ultimately enable her to move to a higher grade job level.
	4.  The applicant demonstrates financial need.
	5.  The applicant is entering vocational or technical training, or
	    is completing an undergraduate degree.

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