Thomas Cowan Bell (May 14, 1832 – February 3, 1919) was an American college president, educator, newspaper publisher, and Civil War veteran.

[2] While a student at Miami, Bell lived in the Oxford, Ohio home of his Aunt Lizzie Davis.

"[4][6] She eventually allowed all seven members to move into her house and hired two cooks from Cincinnati to accommodate the men.

[3] With the start of the Civil War in 1861, Bell enlisted as a private in the 74th Ohio Infantry of the United States Army; he was a lieutenant colonel in less than a year.

[6] He received a high commendation for leading the regiment's bayonet charge at the Battle of Stone River.

[2] Following the Civil War he returned to education, serving as the superintendent of school system in Nobles County, Minnesota, from 1872 to 1877.

He died in his home in Oakland on February 3, 1919, the day after attending an initiation ceremony of the Alpha Beta chapter.