Last week, applications for the 2027 iteration of the Soroptimist International of Ogden’s “Live Your Dream: Education & Training Awards for Women” opened.

ReAnne Reimschussel, Live Your Dream Award chairperson for Soroptimist International of Ogden, gave the Standard-Examiner a brief rundown of what the Live Your Dream Award is.

“Live Your Dream Award is an award that was started by Soroptimist International,” she said. “It’s designed to help empower women live their dreams through education, and so it’s designed to go to women who are the head of households or trying to better their lives through education.”

She said that the funds are unrestricted, but there are a handful of qualifications to be eligible for an award.

“Basically, the qualifications are that they need to demonstrate a financial need and they need to be enrolled in either a certification program or a degree program — an associates or bachelors or certification program,” she said. “And it’s just designed to give them what they need so that they can get through the school year. And it’s unrestricted, so they’re able to spend it either on books or education expenses or they’re able to spend it on paying utilities or doing something so that they can continue to work, put it towards childcare, because unrestricted funds can go a long way when you’re trying to put yourself through school.”

Reimschussel said, typically, the Soroptimist International of Ogden tries to keep its awards at $1,000 or higher. She said in 2026, award figures for the eight recipients ranged from $1,000-$1,500.

“If we were to be able to get more support from the community donated, we could actually make them larger,” she said. “That’s our goal for this year is to raise more funds so we could potentially give larger award amounts.”

Applications for the Live Your Dream Award are due November 15, 2026, and the awardees will be announced in February. Reimschussel said the goal is to award nine recipients this year.

“We have a celebration dinner every February that is our main fundraiser for the Live Your Dream Awards,” she said. “Last year it was at the Timbermine. But it’s basically an awards dinner where we sell tickets and seek donations, and the funds that we raise at that event help support the following year’s awardees. We do try to make sure that we are selling sponsorships to that event, and then when the attendees come, they get to celebrate our awardees. It’s basically a celebration dinner for the women who are trying to better their lives.”

She said there is also a yearly fundraiser with the Union Grill in Ogden which helps to further raise money for the Live Your Dream Awards.

Reimschussel said she’s seen the awards do a lot of good in her time with the Soroptimists.

“The stories that we have heard from the applicants have been so heartwarming,” she said. “And the whole reason why I personally am a part of Soroptimists is because the efforts that we do impact our community directly. All our fundraising, all of the work that we do, it’s to create a direct impact within our community.”

She recalled an example from two years ago of how impactful these awards can be.

“We had an awardee who grew up extremely poor,” she said. “She didn’t have electricity or anything like that. And as she got older, she learned about electricity and everything, and it was a passion for her. She was getting her certification as an electrician, and she was just super grateful because the award helped pay for her tuition and everything so that she could continue to get her certification.

Reimschussel said one of the best qualities of the Live Your Dream Award is it doesn’t center on one certain degree or certification path.

“I love it because it’s not just for a specific type of degree or a specific type of profession,” she said. “It’s not like we’re doing a nursing program or anything like that. It’s to support women in any area that they want to explore, and I am just super grateful that I’ve been able to learn of some of these women and their passions and dreams and been able to support them.”

For more information on Soroptimist International of Ogden and to donate, visit https://www.soroptimistofogden.org/.

To apply for the Live Your Dream Award, visit https://www.soroptimist.org/our-work/live-your-dream-awards/apply-for-the-live-your-dream-awards.html.