APSU propels first-gen college student to Duke University’s law program

By: Colby Wilson March 21, 2025

Skylar Clemons after graduating from Austin Peay State University in 2021. | Contributed photo

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — From working at Walmart to save money for college to accepting admission into one of the nation's top law schools, Skylar Clemons' journey exemplifies the power of perseverance and an Austin Peay State University education.

Clemons, a 2021 graduate in geosciences (now the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences), grew up in McMinnville, Tennessee, in what he describes as a "low-income family, well below the poverty line." As a first-generation college student whose parents hadn't completed high school, the path to higher education wasn't clearly marked.

"I waited four years working at Walmart just to save up to be able to attend college," Clemons said. "Being a first-generation student, there were a lot of hurdles where I went into it not knowing what to do. Without some of the connections and experiences other students had, I had to find people to help guide me.”

After carefully researching his options, Clemons chose APSU for its affordability. He and his husband both enrolled in 2018, though in different fields – he in geosciences and his husband in finance.

Despite facing significant personal challenges, including the loss of his mother during finals week of his first semester, Clemons excelled academically. He participated in the Honors Program and discovered a passion for environmental science through his coursework.

"I took a geology class and realized I loved environmental science," Clemons said. "Coming from an agricultural area and growing up outdoors, it was something that really spoke to me."

After graduating magna cum laude, Clemons began working as an environmental scientist for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Underground Storage Tanks. While he found the work rewarding, a long-held interest in law continued to pull at him.

"I've been interested in legal fields for a long time," Clemons said. "I remember being in high school telling one of my friends that I thought I might want to be an attorney one day."

That interest has now culminated in acceptance to Duke University Law School's prestigious JD/LLM program, where Clemons will pursue both his law degree and a master's in international law, focusing on international environmental law.

"I'm grateful more than anything that I've been able to get to this point," Clemons said. "I don't see a lot of people like me who have done this process ... but I'm ready."

His ultimate goal may be working with the International Court of Justice at The Hague in the Netherlands, where he'll spend a summer during his studies. He's particularly interested in helping Pacific Island nations address challenges related to climate change and rising sea levels.

Before departing for Duke this fall, Clemons donated his LSAT study materials to APSU's Honors Program, hoping to help other students pursuing similar dreams.

"If I could do this and be on this path to law school, other people like me have this opportunity through APSU," Clemons said. "Going into APSU, I never would have thought that was possible."

About the Austin Peay College of STEM

The College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) provides studies for students in the areas of agriculture, astronomy, aviation sciences, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, engineering physics, engineering technology, information technology, mathematics, medical laboratory sciences, radiologic sciences and physics. Our outstanding, discipline-based programs are student-centered and designed to prepare students for responsible positions at all levels of research, industry, education, medicine and government.