skip to main content
Jim Larimore
Jim Larimore
01:22

Jim Larimore

ACT Center for Equity in Learning

San Diego, CA USA

"Don’t let anyone deny you the opportunity to learn. Your purpose in getting an education is to become the most formidable human being you can become."

Career Roadmap

Jim's work combines: Education, Business, and Helping People

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Chief Officer

I lead a team that leverages ACT research & partnerships to increase opportunity & support for underserved learners.

01:32

Day In The Life Working For An Education Nonprofit

My Day to Day

No day is ever the same. In the Center for Equity in Learning, we work with colleagues across the ACT organization because we are trying to build things to help improve learning outcomes and level the playing field for all students. We seek out partnerships with other organizations and schools to help out different communities. It involves a lot of teamwork, project planning, networking, etc.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

    Texas A & M University-Commerce

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Sociology

    Texas A & M University-Commerce

  • Graduate Degree

    Education, General

    Stanford University

Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    Born and raised in Texas.

  • 2.

    My siblings and I were the first people in my family to earn college degrees.

  • 3.

    Attended Texas A&M University—I actually quit college about six or seven times because I kept running out of money.

  • 4.

    Got a job as a resident assistant in a dorm on campus, which reduced my tuition and gave me a free place to live, allowing me to complete my degree in criminal justice and sociology.

  • 5.

    My original goal was to work in juvenile probation, but through a series of random turns, I found my way into working in education—received my master’s degree in education from Stanford.

  • 6.

    After graduating, my higher-education career began in the admissions office of Dartmouth College recruiting Native American high school students from the southwest of the U.S.

  • 7.

    For the last 30 years, I've been the dean of a number of institutions, including Dartmouth, Swarthmore College, and Amherst; also served as a deputy director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

  • 8.

    I am now the chief officer of the ACT Center for Equity in Learning, where I direct their strategy to close gaps in opportunity, achievement, and equity for all students.

Defining Moments

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • Myself, along with my brother and two sisters, were the first in our family to go on to earn college degrees.

  • The challenges in my personal life affected my schooling. I was reasonably smart and tested well, I just didn't try very hard and was distracted. I had to make up for a lot of lost time once I got to college.

  • I quit college at least 6 or 7 times because I kept running out of money. I managed to get an on campus job which reduced my tuition and gave me free room and board so I could continue.

  • Growing up, my dad was an alcoholic and abusive. I had to throw him out of the house when I was a teenager which temporarily disrupted our family life emotionally and financially.

  • Growing up ethnically diverse and part Native American, in particular, caused me challenges. I was often in trouble for challenging teachers' lessons about things like Thanksgiving and Columbus Day.