June 4, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu

“I’ve always been drawn to exercise and sport, no matter where I was living,” says Alexander Andersen, who spent his childhood in seven different countries. “Whether I was juggling a soccer ball with local kids in Malaysian Borneo or tackling my schoolmates’ playing rugby in New Zealand, I saw how sport could bridge cultural gaps and facilitate relationships no matter people's differences.”

As he reached early adulthood, Andersen moved alone to Sweden after earning a place within an elite soccer academy, pursuing his dream of eventually playing professionally. Multiple recurring injuries sidelined that pursuit and shifted his interests toward the science behind performance and recovery.

Andersen soon earned a soccer scholarship to East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, where he studied exercise science while competing for the men’s soccer team. Outside of those two major commitments, he gained hands-on experience working with the strength and conditioning staff to support the university’s football, women’s soccer, acrobatics and tumbling, and track and field teams. He spent summers working with soccer programs in Canada and Sweden and one as a performance intern with Internacional club de Fútbol Miami.

“The internship with Inter Miami CF gave me firsthand insight into what a career in sport science could look like,” Andersen says. “That experience solidified my interest in this path and motivated me to continue developing my skills at the graduate level.”

The Arnold School’s M.S. in Exercise Science program stood out to him as an opportunity to grow as an independent researcher, deepen his knowledge, and gain hands-on experience with advanced technology and data. An on-campus visit made it clear that faculty like department chair Shawn Arent, the various facilities and labs, and the wide range of high-level teams would provide valuable opportunities to gain applied experience working with an array of athletes and sports.

During his two years at USC, Andersen worked as a graduate research assistant in Arent’s Sport Science Lab, collecting data for the basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, softball and baseball teams while also leading an independent research project related to blood flow restriction training that he hopes to publish soon. He also served as a teaching assistant for Anatomy and Physiology courses for four semesters and worked as a performance intern under Molly Binetti with women’s basketball during his second year, supporting athlete monitoring, readiness, and recovery initiatives within a high-performance environment.

Andersen found mentors in the classroom, at the lab, on the court/field, and everywhere in between. In particular, Arent along with assistant professor Sten Stray-Gundersen provided continuous guidance and mentorship.

“With their backgrounds in high-level soccer, it was especially meaningful to see how they transitioned their passion for sport into successful careers in sport science and research,” Andersen says. “Their experiences gave me valuable perspective and reassurance as I navigate my own path.”

For his next steps, the Outstanding M.S. in Exercise Science Award winner is in the final stages of securing a fellowship to continue his training in supporting high-level athletes through evidence-based practice. Though he may be one of the most well-traveled students to attend USC – something that has taught him to adapt, stay curious, and connect with people from different backgrounds – he was still impressed by the culture and community South Carolina’s flagship university offered.

“Beyond academics, student life is vibrant with constant opportunities to get involved through social and sporting events across a truly beautiful campus,” Andersen says. “It’s hard to leave USC without feeling like you’ve grown both personally and professionally-and without embracing the incredible school spirit that comes with it.”

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