Bill Williamson McDiarmid received a BA with Highest Honors from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1969 and a doctorate from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education in 1984. He is Dean and Alumni Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, at UNC-Chapel Hill and University Chair Professor at East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.

Professor McDiarmid was a Teaching Fellow at Athens College in 1970-71. He returned to the College to teach History and English and serve as College Counselor and Special Assistant to the President from 1973-77.  He subsequently has served on the faculties of five US universities, including Michigan State and the University of Washington. He is a Founding Dean of Deans for Impact, a non-profit in Austin, Texas. He continues to conduct research on educational policy and reform and has published over 100 referred articles and research monographs as well as six books.