Hello and Happy New Year!

Whether you are starting a new semester, a new chapter in your life, or just interested in kicking off 2026 on the right foot, January is a great time to get organized and start some new, good habits.

To support you with that, we’re excited to share that the Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund is partnering with Level All to provide additional career and college success support to Phillips Scholars.  

Level All is a free, online platform designed to help you: 

• Plan your career and understand how to use your degree 
• Build financial literacy and money management skills 
• Develop practical, real-world skills for success during college and beyond 

Access to Level All is completely free for Phillips Scholars and is yours for life.

Please use this link to create your account:

https://app.levelall.com/signup?code=SPSCHOLARS 

Below, you can read some personalized tips from Phillips Scholars about how to take your life skills to the next level, and find links to resources from LevelAll that will help.

But first: a quick reminder to our current college students that our renewal applications are live now, and due on Tuesday, February 3rd. Sign into our student portal to complete your renewal.

Sarah Watson, University of New England '23, is now completing her Master's in Counseling at the University of Southern Maine while also working in a conditional position as a high school counselor at Sanford High School in Sanford, Maine. Sarah has excellent advice for other scholars juggling busy schedules, as well as anyone interested in graduate school.

On starting a new semester: "I start looking through my new courses' syllabi so that I can know what to expect for the upcoming semester. I then set up a Google Doc of my schedule for the new semester with details of room numbers and days/times my classes will be, along with a Google Doc of a To-Do List that I always keep as a tab open on my laptop with the names of each class and under each class, the tasks I need to do for them."

On staying on track for graduation: "In order to stay on track for graduation, I keep a Google Doc with a list of the remaining courses I need. After I complete each course, I write the grade I received beside each class, along with my updated GPA to make sure that I keep up with scholarship GPA requirements. This allows me to see how I can improve my GPA, along with how many classes I have to complete before graduation. In this same document, I list certain tasks and their deadlines that I have to complete before graduation, such as taking big tests that lead to certification, days to sign up for classes, or the timeline to apply for graduation. While all of this information can be found on the school website or through email, I find that having it all in one place makes the process much easier."

On preparing for graduate school: "My biggest advice is to engage in community service as an undergraduate student, and if possible, in the specific field that you want to pursue graduate work in. This allows you to be a more "well-rounded" applicant, can be a form of experience in the field, and allows you to make important connections. I would also suggest completing an internship experience as an undergraduate student in the field you want to pursue graduate work in. Engaging in an internship and community service, along with working as hard as possible on coursework to increase your GPA, provides you with a great foundation to pursue graduate school."

How LevelAll can help:

• Goal Setting in College: Identify academic, personal, and career goals and break them into actionable steps you can take throughout your college journey. 
• Craft a 4-Year College Success Plan: Create a personalized roadmap that aligns your coursework, experiences, and milestones across all four years of college.  
• Discover What You Want to Do for a Career: Explore your interests, strengths, and values to identify career paths that fit who you are and what you enjoy. 

Jessica Mini, Gordon College '21, works as a Money Management Associate at Mystic Valley Elder Services. She explains, "In this role, we partner with elders in the community to help them pay their bills, create budgets, and remain independent in their own homes with financial assistance. We also provide representative payee services for clients who are no longer able to manage their finances independently. Our goal is to support elders in staying in the community longer while preserving as much independence as possible as they age." Jessica has some practical financial advice for the Phillips Scholarship community.

On reviewing your expenses: "One key tip is to be aware of the payments you are signing up for. Many individuals unknowingly continue paying for subscriptions or services on autopay that they no longer use. Regularly reviewing your bank statements and tracking monthly expenses is essential to prevent overspending and to manage a budget effectively."

On dealing with debt: "Being a good steward of your money means having a clear plan to pay down debt in a reasonable timeframe. Avoid opening multiple credit cards that you cannot afford. Spending within your means and only taking on debt you can realistically pay off will help prevent financial stress and support long-term stability."

On looking out for your future self: "Lastly, be mindful of your spending as a young person, because the habits you form now will shape your financial future. Make it a priority to set aside money into savings and avoid spending more than you can afford. If you have debt, work to pay it off as soon as possible, so it doesn’t hold you back later in life. Many elders face financial challenges today because they weren’t careful with money in their younger years. Take control of your spending, create a plan for your finances, and make intentional choices that will allow you to live with greater freedom and stability as you age."

How LevelAll can help:

• Personal Finance Foundations: Learn the basics of managing your money, including saving, spending, and making informed financial decisions during college and beyond. 
• Budgeting for Beginners: Build a realistic budget to track income, control expenses, and plan ahead with confidence. 
• Pair Your Purpose with a Paycheck: Learn how to connect meaningful work with financial stability by exploring careers aligned with both your values and earning goals.  

You can contact success@levelall.com with any questions about navigating the platform.

We sincerely hope this advice and the resources from LevelAll will help you have a super successful 2026! Please reach out to us at staff@spscholars.org if there is anything the Phillips staff can help you with. Please also contact us if you have an update, advice, or opportunity to share with our community in a future bulletin!