John Dorsey (1936–2014) graduated from the University of Maryland in 1958, continued his graduate education at the London School of Economics and Harvard University. He returned to Maryland to join its economics faculty in 1963, but left for two years to serve as a staff economist on President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Council of Economic Advisors.

Back on campus, he served as a vice chancellor until 1977 when he left to take the top job at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In 1985, he returned to College Park as special assistant to President John S. Toll, then started teaching economics courses again. He retired in 2001.