Bill Williamson McDiarmid received a BA with Highest Honors from UNC-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, where he is also co-chair of the Global Deans Forum. From 1973 to 1977 he taught History and English at Athens College. He subsequently taught at five US universities, including Michigan State and the University of Washington.