APSU Political Science student earns $90,000 law school scholarship through accelerated 3+3 program
By: Seth Riker May 13, 2026
Austin Peay State University political science student Noah Janecek poses inside Felix G. Woodward Library. Janecek recently earned a $90,000 scholarship to attend Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law through APSU鈥檚 accelerated 3+3 program. Photo by Seth Riker.
At just 20 years old, Austin Peay State University student Noah Janecek is already preparing for law school after earning a $90,000 scholarship to attend the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law through APSU鈥檚 accelerated 3+3 program.
The unique partnership allows qualified students in APSU鈥檚 Department of Political Science and Public Management to complete both a bachelor鈥檚 degree and law degree in six years instead of the traditional seven, saving students both time and tuition costs.
For Janecek, a Smyrna, Tenn., native and graduate of Stewart鈥檚 Creek High School, the opportunity represents years of preparation paying off earlier than most students his age.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very, very exciting,鈥 Janecek said. 鈥淣ot only am I able to save that year of time and tuition, but I鈥檓 able to apply that to the future where I can enter the field a year earlier than I would otherwise. So not only am I not having to put in as much input cost, but I鈥檓 getting a lot more out of it.鈥
Janecek said his interest in politics first developed in middle school, fueled by curiosity about why people think, vote and form opinions differently.
鈥淚 just found it very interesting to see what drove people to vote in certain ways and opinionate in certain ways about political issues,鈥 he said.
By high school, that interest had evolved into a passion for argumentation and law.
鈥淚 realized that I liked arguing a lot, and I wanted to be a lawyer,鈥 Janecek said with a laugh. 鈥淚 kind of see argument as a game. I鈥檝e always been very competitive, so I sort of see it as trying to create this intangible advantage through an idea. It鈥檚 competitive, but it鈥檚 not combative. It鈥檚 kind of like an intellectual sparring match.鈥
At APSU, Janecek immersed himself in coursework that strengthened both his analytical thinking and legal interests. He pointed specifically to John Phillips鈥 鈥淔oundations of Political Theory鈥 course, where students debated philosophers like Plato, Socrates and Aristotle.
鈥淚t was sort of an unserious debate because it鈥檚 hard to quantify who the best political theorist ever is,鈥 Janecek said. 鈥淏ut it really challenged me with arguing because the people I went against had very strong arguments for their side.鈥
Additional coursework in constitutional law and interdisciplinary honors seminars further reinforced his interest in legal reasoning and argumentative structure.
鈥淲e talked all about argumentative structure, deductive arguments and analogical arguments,鈥 Janecek said. 鈥淚t was breaking down arguments and turning them into something tangible where you can actually see how they prove a point.鈥
Outside the classroom, Janecek has remained active through APSU鈥檚 Honors Program and the Student Government Association, where he serves as chief clerk managing and editing legislation. He also works for a Nashville nonprofit called The Free Store.
According to John Phillips, Janecek exemplifies the type of student the 3+3 program was designed to support.
鈥淭he 3+3 partnership is designed for highly motivated students who want to maximize both their time and their investment in college. Noah is exactly the kind of student this opportunity was built for,鈥 Phillips said. 鈥淗e has taken full advantage of his time at Austin Peay through rigorous coursework, leadership experiences and intellectual engagement both inside and outside the classroom. To see that dedication rewarded with admission to law school and a $90,000 scholarship at such a young age is incredibly exciting.鈥
Janecek said he is among the first APSU students in several years to fully complete the accelerated pathway, something he hopes encourages future students to explore the opportunity.
鈥淚鈥檓 just thankful Austin Peay has this sort of program,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed my time on campus a lot and getting to meet all sorts of cool people. Being able to have access to opportunities like this in Tennessee is really special.鈥
About the APSU Department of Political Science and Public Management
Part of the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Austin Peay鈥檚 Department of Political Science and Public Management prepares students for careers in law, government, public service, and public administration through hands-on learning, civic engagement, and interdisciplinary study. Students gain practical experience in leadership, policy, legal studies and public affairs while learning from faculty with international expertise across political science, law and public management.
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