Oberlin's Women: A Legacy of Leadership & Activism

Dorothy May Bell

Dorothy May Bell (1903-1988, OC 1925) was an educator and college administrator. She graduated from Oberlin College in 1925 with an A.B. in Latin. She continued her education at Smith College where she received an M.A. in 1929. Bell was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Oberlin College in 1957. After teaching at local high schools and at Oberlin College for many years, Bell became the president of Bradford Junior College in 1940. She held the position until 1967. During her tenure, six buildings were added to the school’s campus. The college enrollment and faculty members nearly doubled under her leadership. Bell was the second woman to serve as president of the American Association of Junior Colleges. She was the first junior college administrator to serve on the executive committee of the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Bell was the only junior college representative appointed to the Massachusetts Board of Collegiate Authority, where she served four four-year terms.



Sources:
Student File (Dorothy May Bell), Alumni and Development Records, Box 65, O.C.A.

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