Orin Benton Graff was born on May 16, 1901 in Haverhill, Ohio. He began his career in education while attending Ohio Northern University, working as a teacher and principal in the Sciota County elementary schools (1920-1923) and in the Buena Vista High School (1925-1928) before earning his BS in 1929. He continued to work while completing his graduate education at Ohio State University, where he earned his MA (1934) and PhD (1941). He also married Erma Pyles (1905-2000) in 1933. After graduation, Graff worked as an Assistant Professor at St. Lawrence University (Summer 1941), as a Curriculum Assistant in the Cincinnati Public Schools (1941-1942), as an Assistant Professor at Ohio State University (Summer 1942), and as a Research Assistant and Director of the High School Victory Corps in the Cincinnati Public Schools (1942-1943).

In 1943, Graff began working as the Superintendent of Education in Norris, Tennessee and as an Associate Professor of Education at the University of Tennessee. He was promoted to Professor of Education and Department Head in 1945, at which time he left his job in Norris. During his tenure, the Department of Education grew and improved substantially. Graff laid the foundation for the department's new graduate program, which was intended to train students for superintendent positions, and worked tirelessly to improve the competencies of instructional supervisors in the public schools. He also worked to broaden the scope of the department's programs, including the addition of school-planning activities, and insisted that the program remain flexible in order to serve its diverse student population.

Graff stepped down as Department Head in 1966 and retired completely in 1971. In July of 1980, Orin and Erma Graff gave the University a $21,000 gift to establish a scholarship program in educational administration. Orin Graff died on August 27, 1980.