A local organization for women who had no affiliation with Greek-letter sororities, Sui Generis was founded at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1956. The organization consisted of former members of a group known as Independent Women, and was active until 1961.

During the early twentieth century, hazing became a prominent issue on American college campuses. At Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, hazing seemed to develop in response to class rivalries, especially between the freshman and sophomore classes. Tensions increased with contests such as the annual "cap scrap" between freshmen and sophomores and the Yellow Button basketball game. On the College campus, hazing was concentrated for a time among a highly secret group called The Sophomore Band.

The Sophomore Band was founded on December 8, 1899 by twelve members of the Class of 1902. The charter members agreed upon the creed to "Raise the Devil and shun Dockie," as students at the time referred to President George Reed as "Dockie." The main purpose of the Sophomore Band was to terrorize the community as a whole, but freshmen in particular. The Band staged nightly riots, destroyed electric lamps on campus, and made clandestine attacks on other students and College buildings.

Skull and Key, a local honorary society for junior men, was established at Dickinson College in 1908. Starting in 1935, these "Black Hats" annually presented a silver loving cup to the freshman man judged to be the outstanding member of his class. The society has been inactive since 1983 when the College faculty disbanded the organization after persistent and serious disciplinary problems.

A local sophomore honorary for men, Skitch-A-Genee was established in 1908. It was last mentioned in the 1924 Microcosm.

Sigma Delta Pi is a national honorary society recognizing scholarship in Spanish language and culture. A chapter of Sigma Delta Pi was established at Dickinson College in 1962.

A chapter of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity was founded at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1919, though the official chapter designation is unknown.

The founders of Sigma Alpha Mu, who were students at the City College of New York, were of the Jewish faith and espoused a strong Zionist perspective, although the constitution of the brotherhood was later amended to allow any student of "good moral character.”

The chapter at Dickinson remained in existence until 1921.

Members of the Reed Society at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania established the organization “for the purpose of advancing themselves in the knowledge of the Law, and in the acquisition of the arts of debate and public speech.”

The Reed Society believed itself to be one of the “most important educational instrumentalities” of the College. The Reed Society, which was named in honor of Judge John Reed, founder of the Dickinson College Law School, was established in 1890, and active until 1895.

Pi Delta Phi is a national honorary for students who have earned scholastic honors in French. The chapter at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania selects its members from the junior and senior classes, and was founded in 1962.

The Pennsylvania Gamma Chapter of the Pi Beta Phi sorority was established at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1903.

The first national sorority founded at Dickinson, Pi Beta Phi was first formed from members of a local sorority, Phi Alpha Pi.

The Phi Nu Theta fraternity became the first Greek organization in the history of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Also known as the Eclectic Fraternity, this organization was founded on May 12, 1852, and consisted of Professor Herman Merrills Johnson and three students. The chapter was short-lived, however, as the College suppressed it after only two months. The faculty condemned any group that would not allow them immediate access at any time, and forced the organization to disband.