IC’s campus lays claim to the best view of Cayuga Lake and some of the most expansive views of any college in the country. The second-largest of New York’s Finger Lakes, Cayuga Lake was created by glacial melt centuries ago. Alumni often boast about how beautiful the campus is, and it has everything to do with the view of the lake.

“No matter a good or bad day during my four years at IC, I could always look down the hill and valley at Cayuga Lake to center myself,” said one alum. “It just had a calming effect. It represents beauty, power, tranquility, and always reminded me how fortunate I was to call such an amazing place home for four years.”

A parent echoed the sentiment that the lake has a calming effect: “Sitting on the bench next to the Dillingham fountains and gazing through them to Cayuga Lake always brings me to a state of tranquility and serenity. The water, the fresh air, and the colors of the sky blend into a mystical and magical experience. This is my favorite Ithaca College icon.”