Rumor has it that any student who jumps into the fountain prior to Senior Splash won’t graduate. While no one knows for sure if that’s true, one thing’s for certain: people love the fountains.

Since they were constructed in 1966, the fountains have served as the backdrop to many memorable moments, from the Commencement Eve fireworks, to the end-of-year Senior Splash, to the Fill the Fountains fundraiser, which began in 2015. Countless graduates have posed near the fountains for photos after graduation. At night, the fountains are illuminated with various colors, and they hold more than 300,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of 8,333 bathtubs.

“It’s incredibly beautiful in the warm weather to hear and see the fountains displayed,” said a 2017 grad. “They left an impact on me when I first toured the school as a freshman, and I still look forward to them every spring when the nice weather rolls around.”

A staff member said, “The fountains are quite iconic, stunning, and unique to the collegiate landscape of Ithaca. As Ithaca is known for the lake, many gorges, and waterfalls, it is only fitting that Ithaca College possesses its own representation of moving, natural energy, symbolizing the ebb and flow of life.”