Danny Bell, a member of the Lumbee and Coharie tribes, has been an advocate and advisor for American Indian students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since coming to the University in 1988 as a student loan officer. In 1996, he helped found the American Indian Studies program in the Department of American Studies, becoming the program assistant. He also serves as the advisor to the Carolina Indian Circle and the Native American Law Student Association (NALSA). In 2014 he was honored with the University's C. Knox Massey Service Award for his service to the Carolina community.