The Spirit Spot Showdown, an artistic competition in which winners earn a reserved campus parking spot for a semester, successfully debuted at Adelphi University’s 2025 Spirit Weekend.
Over the last nine years, Spirit Weekend has become a cherished tradition among the Adelphi community. This annual celebration brings together current students and alumni, their parents, and University faculty and staff. Attendees participate in everything from campus tours to family-friendly carnival games, live performances, reunions and Casino Night—and, this year, goat yoga.
But Spirit Weekend 2025 also introduced a brand-new tradition: the Spirit Spot Showdown. The winner earns a prize every commuter dreams of: a reserved parking spot for the remainder of the semester.
Students, faculty and staff were invited to paint a parking spot, and designs were judged on school spirit, community engagement, positive representation and inclusivity. The final artistic statements went before the entire community, generating more than 1,500 votes cast by students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents and families, and returning alumni who were eager to weigh in on the best design.
For This Accounting Major, “Victory Was the Only Option”
Frank Genna Jr. ’25’s winning entry, “Endless Summer”, reflects his participation in Adelphi’s Swimming and Diving team.
The competition celebrated two winners. First was Frank Genna Jr. ’25, an accounting major and Accounting Society executive board member, whose motivation was uniquely generous.
“Spirit Weekend gives us all the opportunity to show our love for the University and each other,” Genna said. Despite his passion for the school, his primary driver for the Showdown was his girlfriend. “She’s always late to class, and a parking spot for her sounded like a nice little gift. I wanted that spot bad. Victory was the only option.”
A lifelong surfer and lifeguard, and captain of Adelphi’s swim team when he was a student, Genna skillfully incorporated a strong water motif into his design, successfully blending his personal interests with Panther pride. He and his girlfriend, who now uses the spot daily, proudly welcomed the post-Spirit Weekend victory.
For James Tullo ’27, Adelphi Feels Like Home
The second winner, James Tullo, a junior in Adelphi’s accelerated exercise science program (BS/MS), sees Spirit Weekend as a deeply personal connection. “It’s about connection, belonging and celebrating the people who make Adelphi what it is,” he said. With both his parents being proud Adelphi alumni who met on campus, Tullo’s connection is familial and profound.
Tullo’s winning design was inspired by his feeling that Adelphi is his second home. “That feeling inspired everything about my design,” he stated. His creation incorporated school colors and symbols, along with personal touches like the AU Collar Scholar black Labrador mascot, Echo—a nod to his role as founder and president of the Adelphi University Collar Scholars.
Tullo now parks in his reserved spot, calling it a “reminder of his time at Adelphi.” He adds, “It really does feel like my little piece of home on campus.”
The Verdict: A New Spirit Weekend Tradition Is Born
The colorful designs of the Spirit Spot Showdown generated Panther pride and engaged the entire community. Given the immediate enthusiasm and high participation, this artistic endeavor is well on its way to becoming a cherished Adelphi tradition for years to come.