The wood panels of the chancel have been designed to complement the antique organ console which was originally in the Bruton Parish Church, at Williamsburg, Virginia.

[5] In 1975 the college agreed to permanently remove religious symbols atop campus chapels and to introduce strict quotas on Methodist representation on the college board and among the faculty as a result of a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

[6] Up until the 1980s, there was a specially constructed bunker in the basement of Lewis Hall, the science building, that would have housed the Wartime Information Security Program, a Cold War-era group that would have been responsible for censorship in the aftermath of a nuclear war.

Newer buildings on campus include the Science Hall, gymnasium, library, and student union center.

Since Roger Casey, former McDaniel President, took office in 2010, U.S. News & World Report ranking of the College decreased from 122 in 2010[7] to 134 in 2018.

[9] In 2019 U.S. News & World Report removed McDaniel from the list of National Liberal Art Colleges.

[16] In February 2019, the Board of Trustees at the College approved the suspension of enrollment for future students in the majors of Art History, Religious Studies, French, German, and Music.

[21] An online petition against the decision, "Open Letter in Support of Faculty in Art History, Religious Studies, French, German, Music, Latin, and Deaf Education at McDaniel College" collected more than 650 signatures.

The college is a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Centennial Conference (an athletic conference that it's a charter member) since the 1992–93 academic year for all sports (originally for football since the 1981–82 academic year).

McDaniel has 24 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

[23][24] McDaniel football dates back to 1891 when the first game was played against northern rival Gettysburg College.

This is due to the fans being able park their cars practically on the field and grill & drink during the game, a tradition that dates to the 1920s.