Elizabeth Bjornsen ’15
Elizabeth Bjornsen
Class of 2015
When Elizabeth Bjornsen graduated from Fredericksburg Christian School in 2015, she headed to John Brown University and later Taylor University to play collegiate volleyball. While she initially planned to study Exercise Science, a discovery during her junior year changed everything. Elizabeth learned she had an ACL injury tracing back to high school, requiring surgery and a long road of rehabilitation.
It was during this time in rehab that Elizabeth dedicated herself to undergraduate research—a decision that completely shifted her career path. Her passion for understanding the human body led her to a master’s degree at the University of Arkansas and eventually a PhD and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Today, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at East Carolina University, where her research focuses on improving long-term health for youth athletes following ACL injuries.
The Bjornsen name is a familiar one at FCS. Her father, Mark Bjornsen, taught Physical Education for nearly 20 years, and her mother, Lee Bjornsen, was a beloved 5th-grade teacher. Though Elizabeth jokingly admits she once claimed she would never pursue science or teaching because she thought they were too hard or not her specific gifts, she notes that God has a sense of humor, as she now does both every day.
Looking back at her time at FCS, Elizabeth remembers the impact of Mrs. Foss. Recognizing Elizabeth’s early love for maps and travel, Mrs. Foss invited her to a morning geography club. Despite Elizabeth’s initial hesitation, Mrs. Foss pushed her to step outside her comfort zone. Elizabeth remembers Mrs. Foss as someone who wanted students to be curious, work hard, and reflect Christ in all things—values Elizabeth carries with her today in the lab and the classroom.