And fully commit he did — from the moment he stepped on campus to the day he graduated with his chemical engineering degree.
“When I came to UC, I loved the campus, I loved the coaches, and it made it really easy to fully commit,” Cross said.
Through UC’s cooperative education (co-op) program, students alternate semesters between academic coursework and full-time industry or research jobs, applying what they’ve learned in the classroom to the real world. For many student athletes, the time committed to their sport can feel like a full-time job, making the addition of co-op experiences a unique challenge.
For Cross, discipline and time management were key to his overall success. He spent all of his co-op semesters working at L’Oreal’s 24-hour manufacturing site in Florence, Ky., outside Cincinnati. The company offered him flexibility in his schedule, ensuring he would be on campus in time for practices, workouts, and team meetings.
“L’Oreal really put trust in me and helped me as a student athlete, and so did the team. My coaches made adjustments and worked with my schedule, even if it meant practicing and lifting by myself,” he said.