Phi Kappa Delta was a local fraternity founded at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1913. Little is actually known about the organization, but it appears that it drew its members from both the College and the Dickinson Law School. Although the group existed for only one year, some of its members were later listed as members of the Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity, which was established in 1914.

The honorary fraternity of Phi Beta Kappa was organized as a student literary society at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, on December 5, 1776. Although the approach of General Cornwallis forced William and Mary to close its doors for a time, by 1779 the group granted charters for the establishment of chapters at Yale and Harvard where the Alpha of Connecticut was created in 1780 and the Alpha of Massachusetts in 1781. These chapters flourished and began to issue other charters in turn. The celebration of the Harvard chapter's centennial led to the formation of the National Council of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa in 1883, creating a central authority for the 107 year-old order with exclusive power to issue charters.

On September 5, 1886, at its next triennial meeting in Saratoga Springs, NY, the National Council authorized establishment of a chapter at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Dickinson's charter members met April 13th, 1887, preceding the chapter at Lafayette by two days and that of Rochester by five days. Although the margin was close, Dickinson fortuitously became not only the Alpha of Pennsylvania but also the holder of the first charter issued by the United Chapters.

Election to Phi Beta Kappa is based upon overall academic excellence and is determined by the resident members of the chapter. Membership in the fraternity remains the highest academic honor a Dickinson student may attain.

Phi Alpha Pi was a local sorority founded at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1898. It is said that an earlier chapter of this sorority existed on the campus, but had “died a natural death from want of support.” In any case, the latest chapter of Phi Alpha Pi remained a local organization until 1903, when Pi Beta Phi, a national sorority, absorbed it.

During the early twentieth century, hazing was on the rise on many American college campuses. Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania was no exception to this increase, with its main concentration founded in an organization called The Sophomore Band. The Sophomore Band had its own publication entitled The Onion, which was published sporadically from about 1907 to 1911. A copy of the newspaper could be purchased for five cents from the U.S. Lease's News Depot on West Main Street in Carlisle.

The first issue of The Onion stated, "We print ALL THE NEWS, fit or unfit, with preference to the latter." This publication also claimed to be "Published in Hell, under the direct supervision of the Devil." The editors of the paper, members of the Sophomore Band, were attempting to improve and make for a better Dickinson College.

Omega Psi was a local sorority founded at Dickinson College in 1899. A national sorority, Chi Omega, adopted the organization in 1907.

Dickinson College’s second literary society for women, the McIntire Literary Society, was founded in 1921. It was named in honor of Professor Bradford O. McIntire, who had been teaching at the college for 30 years at the time the society was established. The McIntire Society seems to have been active for only one year.

The Library Guild of Dickinson College was formed on February 20, 1903 after a suggestion from Professor Bradford O. McIntire and was authorized by the Board of Trustees on March 5, 1903 to build an endowment for the purchase of books for the Library. The first constitution directed a board to be appointed and the first trustees named were Dean Mervin Filler, McIntire, John Rhey, class of 1883, and Frysinger Evans, class of 1892. The receipts for the first year were $263.

Classes were asked to participate as they graduated, beginning with the class of 1903, and by 1924 the Guild was receiving gifts from around 350 alumni. By that time the Guild had an endowment of $13,836.36, providing an income which could only be used to purchase library books. During 1923, for example, the Guild was able to purchase 356 new volumes.

An organization designed to “promote friendship among a diverse group of women,” the Epsilon Omega Chapter of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority was established at Dickinson College in the fall of 1978.

The Delta Charge of the Kappa Gamma fraternity was founded at Dickinson College in 1894. The organization was an inter-fraternity letter society, and its “founding” actually took place at the College’s commencement ceremonies in 1894, when the society’s “yell” was first heard. The group dissolved in 1902.

K. K. K. was a local fraternity established at Dickinson College in 1893. Very little is actually known about this small brotherhood, which dissolved in 1897. However, there appears to be no connection between the Dickinson fraternity and the national group bearing these same initials.