On September 12, Times Square had plenty of Panther spirit: a massive billboard created by two creative Adelphi students who could not quite believe that their work was selected for this honor—until they looked up and saw it. This is the story of how they did it.
Senior Diane Torres, a graphic design major, and Phylicia Atherley, a psychology major in the Derner School of Psychology and animation minor, have been close friends for years. Their paths took them both to Adelphi University, where their creative collaboration has yielded a larger-than-life result—a Times Square mega billboard.
Atherley was the model and Torres took the photograph for On the Verge, a digital lifestyle and urban culture magazine.
The Story Behind the Billboard
Walk us through the exact moment you saw your photograph displayed high above Times Square. What went through your mind?
Adelphi student Phylicia Atherley, beneath her mega billboard in Times Square.
Torres: I was just startled. I knew about it but I wasn’t mentally prepared to see it blown up so big. I mean, so many people were actually seeing our work.
Atherley: I honestly hadn’t told anyone about it, other than Diane. I didn’t want it to be jinxed.
Torres: A few people saw us looking up and said to me, “Is that you?” We were literally jumping up and down.
Who was the first person you texted, called or brought with you to see the billboard in person?
Atherley: I sent the pictures of the billboard to my group chat with my other friends. They posted it on Instagram before I could even turn to Diane and say anything.
Torres: I texted it to my group chat with my two older sisters. We didn’t invite anyone to come to Times Square that day because we were genuinely not sure it was really happening.
What is it like seeing a piece of work you created on a camera/laptop screen scaled up to a massive multistory billboard in the heart of New York City?
Torres: I was holding my head in shock.
Atherley: It felt monumental, and it also motivated me. If you keep going with your goals and your passion, that next great accomplishment is coming. I didn’t think modeling would go anywhere for me when I first walked in 2025. Now my photo was in Times Square—a photo taken by my closest friend.
Tell us how Adelphi prepared you for this moment.
Another image of Atherly created by design major and fellow student Diane Torres.
Torres: Photography is not my major but, through my independent study with Associate Professor Hannah Allen, I was able to tackle the art and basics of photography. With this class, I learned how to set up strobe lights, and set up props and backdrops doing studio and street-style photography.
Professor Allen and graphic design chair David Pierce have been working closely with me after I showed them other work from New York Fashion Week. This is helping me with my senior thesis. Adelphi gave me this opportunity with this independent study and I am very grateful.
Atherley: My animation professor, Andrew London, and my UCOMM (Office of University Communications and Marketing) bosses, Ana Rodriguez ’22, digital content and social media manager, and Stephanie Cryan, assistant director of social media, have been very supportive. They motivate me constantly. Without Adelphi, I doubt I would have the confidence to go as far as I have with this career.
What is the story behind the featured photos? What inspired you to capture that specific shot?
Atherley: On the Verge magazine reached out with an Instagram DM to me: “We would love to have you featured on our billboard.”
They wanted me to submit photos to be featured in their “upcoming models feature.” I knew who I wanted to be my photographer and whose photos I wanted to submit. Diane was the first person who came to mind and they loved the photos. I didn’t expect it would come so soon.
Torres: I took 120 photos and chose just a few with Adobe Lightroom Classic. Professor Allen taught me how to choose the photos that jumped off the page at me. Those are the ones we submitted.
Photography is about timing, light and composition. Was this a carefully planned shot or a spontaneous moment?
Torres: I don’t do my photography spontaneously! I plan out and set up all these lights very carefully.
Atherley: Diane is one of my best friends, so I was not serious … . In fact, I was very “unserious” and was honestly just following the poses she liked. Somehow, it just worked.
The pose chosen for a Times Square mega billboard.
What message or emotion were you hoping to convey through these photographs?
Torres: Phylicia wanted an elegant shoot. Everything was mainly through Phylicia’s vision.
Atherley: For the vision, I wanted the look to be classy. I got this dress from my closet. I would want to work with Coach and Louis Vuitton in the future. I want to make sure my images represent that elegance and have stature—so I try to keep my image this way.
Phylicia, how did you find the courage to be photographed? Had you modeled before?
It still takes a lot of courage and confidence to stand in front of the camera. It’s something I am still working on. Modeling is pretty raw and new for me as I have only been modeling for a year now. Through UCOMM, I’m gaining confidence to be in front of the camera for Adelphi videos.
Psychology major Atherley worked with design major Diane Torres on poses, backdrops and lighting.
This is a huge résumé milestone. How does this recognition change your goals after graduation?
Torres: Times Square was like a “what’s next” for me. I truly question like, where do I go from there?
Atherley: It honestly made me feel as if I could go even further. I don’t want this to be my peak. I want to use this to motivate other people, too. I am also a coach for Adelphi’s Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) program. I tell my students, don’t stop. You have to keep going and go beyond what you are doing now. Anything is possible here at Adelphi.
What one word best describes your experience in Times Square that day?
Atherley: Awesome.
Torres: Startled. I just couldn’t believe the scale of it.