Dr. Irving C. Cross began his agricultural teaching career at Logan County High School. He became a graduate assistant at The Ohio State University and received his Ph.D. in agricultural education in 1967. He returned to Colorado and began a long teaching career at Colorado State University before retiring as head of the Agricultural Education System in 1983. During his tenure at CSU, he served in many professional organizations. He received the Outstanding Achievement in Agricultural Education Award, was named one of the top 20 professors at Colorado State University, and received the National Vocational Agriculture Teachers' Association Distinguished Service Award.