'Money light' shines for important College events
The light is lit on several occasions throughout the year for major events to welcome alumni, trustees and other guests to campus, according to the College library website. In 1975, the College's Director of Business Affairs hand-wrote a memo that listed when the tower light would shine. The events include Convocation, Homecoming, Winter Carnival weekend, Green Key weekend, First-Year Family weekend, Commencement, Reunions and Board of Trustees meetings.
Often dubbed "the money light" as a symbol of the money that many assume pours into the College when alumni return, the light gets its emerald glow from six LED lights with green shades that light up against the glass windows in the bell tower. The green light also proves to be not only festive, but eco-friendly. The current two-watt bulbs recently replaced 150-watt lights cutting power consumption for the lights by 888 watts, according to the College's website.
And that's the real story behind the Big Green's appropriately-colored lantern. Illuminating, huh?