Oliver Marcy (February 13, 1820 – March 19, 1899) was an American academic who served as acting president of Northwestern University twice, first from 1876 to 1881, and then again in 1890.

Oliver Marcy was born in Colrain, Massachusetts on February 13, 1820, the seventh of 11 children.

He became professor of natural science at Northwestern University in 1862 and taught there for 37 years and held a number of faculty posts.

Marcy established the Northwestern University Museum of Natural History and served as its curator from 1871 to his death.

[2] He and his wife are buried at Woodland Dell Cemetery in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.