Welcome to Soroptimist International of Dayton, Ohio (Midwest Region)
2024 award winners
Live Your Dream Award - Nadya Forbin
Nadya Forbin is attending Sinclair Community College in pursuit of obtaining an associate degree in Health Systems Information. She plans to graduate in June 2025. Her long-term goal is to graduate from Wright State University with a Bachelor’s Degree. While going to school, Nadya works part time and is raising her one-year-old daughter. Nadya has overcome numerous challenges while being a single parent and is working hard to alleviate poverty. This has made her more determined than ever to finish her education and provide a better life for her daughter.
Live Your Dream Award - Tanisa Pitts
Tanisa Pitts attends Sinclair Community College in pursuit of an Associate Degree in Nursing. She is scheduled to graduate in 2026. While going to school, Tanisa works full time to help raise her two sons, an eight and four-year-old. She has many challenges including finding reliable transportation
and depends on others to help. Her goal is to pay it forward by working in a hospital as a Registered Nurse and helping to serve God’s people in the Dayton Community.
Better Life Award - Gloire A.
Gloire A. is originally from Brazzaville from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Surviving a difficult childhood, she eventually came to the United States. Gloire attends Sinclair Community College working on her degree fulltime in Social Work. She plans to graduate in 2025 and then pursue her bachelor’s in social work. She credits her three-year-old daughter for changing her life for the better and giving her purpose. Gloire promised her daughter that she was going to get them out of poverty. She also finds strength in the Bible Verse “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Gloire believes that someone must step into leadership to bring about change and asks “Why can’t that someone be me?”
2023 award winners
Live Your Dream Award - Chrystal Steward
Chrystal Steward is this year’s recipient of the Live Your Dream Award. She is 36 years old and cares for her 3 children all under the age of 13, and supports her husband who is disabled. Chrystal works for the Miami Valley Housing Authority as a Property Manager. While working, she is attending the University of Phoenix pursuing her bachelor’s degree in accounting to develop more skills needed in her career and in becoming a major asset to her employer. Chrystal is motivated by her family to continue to achieve her goals and to serve as a good role model for her children and those around her.
Better Life Award - Brianah Allen
Brianah Allen is the recipient of this year’s Better Life Award. She is 29 years old with two young boys, a six-year-old and one-year-old toddler. Brianah was accepted into The Glen Program and was given a second chance of going back to school. She decided to go back to school to study healthcare administration in hopes of one day managing a care facility or hospital. Brianah is attending Sinclair Community College majoring in Health Information Management. It is important for her to serve as a role model and to set a good foundation with strong morals for her two sons and for them to see the value in higher education.
2022 award winners
Live Your Dream Award - Natasha Stansell
Natasha is pursuing an associate degree in Social Work from Sinclair Community College and is scheduled to finish in December 2023. Her main purpose for becoming a social worker, is that she feels she can help others who need help. Along with going to school, Natasha works for a non-profit organization, Thrive Together, as an Americorps VISTA worker. By going back to school, she can plan for her future, live her dream of becoming a social worker, and rise out of poverty. Natasha is a singe parent, raising two daughters, ages 7 and 16, while going to school and working.
2021 award winners
Live Your Dream Award - Roxanna Bame Niculescu
Roxana is pursuing her degree in Radiology Technology at Sinclair Community College. Her dream is to become a certified Radiology Technologist and after that to enroll in CT, MRI, and mammography programs. Just recently she became a widow and needs to take care of her son and to help him finish his education. Being a Radiographer will help to make a better living for her and her son.
Better Life Award - Kelly Djiraibé
Kelly attends Sinclair Community College and is pursuing a degree in Social Work. Kelly is from Chad in Central Africa and moved to the United States to pursue an education and a better life. Once here, she found herself in poverty and living in an abusive environment. Some good Samaritans came to her rescue and offered her accommoda-tions, food and essentials needed to survive. Kelly is determined to finish her degree in Social Work so she can use her education to better the lives of others an achieve her dream and ultimate goal.
2020 award winners
Live Your Dream Award - Mandi Black
Mandi attends Full Sail University and is pursuing a degree in Graphic Design. Growing up in a home of drug abuse and poverty, Mandi lost her only sister to a drug overdose. In addition, to raising her own 3 children, she is also raising her sister’s son. She is not letting anything stop her in making a better life for her family.
Better Life Award - Toni Holmes
Toni is pursuing a Communications degree from Sinclair Community College and most recently became an Ohio licensed Realtor.
She is determined to rise out of poverty and have a degree to set an example for her three daughters. Toni grew up with a family that had little education and lived in poverty and she refused to be a prod-uct of her past. She stresses the importance to teach her children to never give up. Her professor stated “She is such an inspiration to everyone she meets.”