Have pledges perform a service project to encourage a sense of community with one another and the less fortunate; the activity also helps create a sense of awareness of the society just outside your university. Choose a project that keeps with the fraternity's values, whether it is collecting clothes and canned food, starting a recycling program or working with the elderly. Collaborate on the project selection and execution to promote bonding among the pledge class members.
Hold a friendly competition in the form of a sporting event between the pledge class of your fraternity and another fraternity at your college's campus. This encourages bonding amongst your pledges and promotes socializing with other fraternities. Your college may offer an inter-fraternity athletic league, or you can host your own tournament with as many of your school's Greek organizations as you would like. Involve the current members of the fraternity by hosting a Big Brother versus Little Brother sporting event.
Make pledges aware of the long history of their new brotherhood by inviting alumni to a social event on your campus. Assign an alumni mentor for each pledge, ideally matched by career specialization, who speaks to his positive experiences in the fraternity and in his career. Locate faculty alumni at your own university as well. Encourage pledges to stay in touch with their alumni mentors; to help create strong networking opportunities for students.
Pledges get hands-on planning experience by organizing fund-raising events such as date auctions, karaoke nights and coffee houses. The funds collected go directly toward another pledging tradition: a pledge class gift to the chapter. This gift is something that memorializes the class, such as a plaque or mounted photograph, or something to benefit the chapter, such as new carpeting in the house or even a donation to a chapter scholarship.