Pro Football Hall of Fame Summer Internships

Description

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, located in Canton, Ohio — the birthplace of the National Football League, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with the Mission to “Honor the Greatest of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence Together.” An exhilarating, world-class museum and attraction, the Pro Football Hall of Fame pays tribute to the talents and triumphs of pro football’s greatest.

OVERVIEW: The Pro Football Hall of Fame Summer Internship Program provides a meaningful and educational hands-on experience in a variety of disciplines. Interns will have the opportunity to contribute to the organization’s success and gain real-world experience throughout the summer leading up to the annual Enshrinement Week. In addition to departmental work, all interns will attend weekly OTAs — organized team activities — which include engagement with industry experts, networking opportunities, professional skill development and team-building activities.

TERM & HOURS: The program runs June 2, 2026, through Aug. 10, 2026. All interns will work five (5) full days per week (approximately 40 hours), including some nights and weekends and extended hours leading up to and during Enshrinement Week.

COMPENSATION & HOUSING: $5,000 stipend will be paid throughout the duration of the internship; local housing options will be available through Walsh University, just a few miles down the road from Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, upcoming seniors and graduate students. A candidate should be actively enrolled in an educational institution during the summer of the internship and hold a minimum GPA of at least 3.0.
• Knowledge of professional football, sports business and nonprofits preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Quick to adapt, flexible and able to work well under deadline pressure.
• Strong work ethic, organizational skills, professionalism. 
• Applicants must be legally permitted to work in the United States and international students must have all visas and employment authorizations before the start of the internship.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM POSITIONS
There are 10 internship positions available across 9 areas. Please review each description carefully. You may select up to three positions that you are interested in being considered for as an intern.

Accounting

The Accounting intern will be exposed to the specialized field of nonprofit accounting by assisting the department on a variety of monthly procedures and reconciliations. The intern will gain a hands-on experience with a variety of accounting platforms and business operations. 
 

Key responsibilities:

• Assist with the month end close process, including system and account reconciliations.
• Assist with monthly updating for our capital assets, monthly tax returns and reconciliations. 
• Help with the accounts payable process, including sending out and reconciling invoices in the Hall’s Accounts Payable system, Tipalti.
• Assist with the accounts receivable process, including daily cash counting, reconciliation and check processing.
• Help prepare for Enshrinement Week cash procedures.
• Help prepare monthly and quarterly financials for internal reporting.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in accounting is preferred. 

Communications

The Communications intern will assist the department through a variety of content-generation projects and hands-on support before and during Enshrinement Week. The intern will have the opportunity to develop their writing skills, create content for the Hall’s digital platforms, draft news releases, gain real-world experience working with media members and much more.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist in the development of internal and external communications.
• Work with the Communications Team in preparation for and during the annual Enshrinement Week with duties related to assisting media members with the coverage of the Hall of Fame Game and Enshrinement and assisting with the credentialing process for the annual festivities.
• Assist in creating communications materials, such as the annual Yearbook, Media Guide, news releases, internal documents, newsletters and emails.
• Write feature articles for use on ProFootballHOF.com.
• Fact-check and assist with historical research.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in communications, sports communications, public relations or a related field is preferred.
• Ability to process and proofread materials efficiently.
• Must be cordial and willing to work with the public.

Events

The Events intern will help plan details and execute logistics for large scale events such as the Awards of Excellence and Enshrinement Week. The intern will learn how each event is planned, budgeted, marketed and executed from event conception to completion. The intern will learn skills such as creating a sense of arrival, labor planning, flexibility, working within a budget and problem-solving.

Key responsibilities:

• Work with external vendors to book transportation, event décor and hotel accommodations.
• Onsite day of event management including the event set-up, coordination of vendor load in and load out, event registration, assist with audio-visual needs, serve as a cashier for events with cash bars and more.
• Maintain an overall event budget.
• Procure silent auction items for fundraising events.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in hospitality management, event planning, tourism, business or a related field is preferred.
• Friendly and outgoing personality. Detail oriented.
• Flexible schedule based on overall event schedule. 

Hall of Famer Relations (James Harris-Doug Williams Internship)

The James Harris-Doug Williams Internship is a named after NFL quarterbacks, African American pioneers, and co-founders of the Black College Football Hall of Fame: James Harris and Doug Williams. The intern will be supporting Black College Football Relations in preparation for Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend and Hall of Famer Relations in preparation for Enshrinement. The intern will gain a well-rounded experience working closely with the greatest of the Game while learning how to prepare for the biggest events at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Key responsibilities:

• Assist in planning for Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend, which includes 10+ events across four days. 
• Assist with Hall of Famer Residency Program initiatives and tasks. 
• Assist Hall of Famer Relations Team on all aspects of Enshrinement Week preparation and execution.
• Learn the volunteer management software system, Volgistics. 
• Learn the community committee volunteers’ roles during the Enshrinement Week and assist in the planning and training of these volunteers.
• Assist in the preparation of community committee volunteer materials including credentials, handbooks, parking instructions, training videos and other materials.
• Work collaboratively with department heads and team members on a multitude of projects, tasks and initiatives.

Additional qualifications:

• Note: Candidate must be a student of a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).
• Must have a customer-service focus, keen attention to detail, be well organized, have a positive attitude and be adaptable.
• Experience volunteering is preferred. 

Hospitality 

The Hospitality intern will gain experience in all aspects of the event process. This will encompass selling and booking spaces, detailing the event, setting up and tearing down event venue and taking care of guests during events. The Hall hosts over 200 private events annually including business meetings, social gatherings, internal events and more. The intern will learn skills such as event planning, time management, organization and communications with various stakeholders and vendors. 

Key responsibilities:

• Assist in booking internal events, updating our software system and collecting payments.
• Attend site tours with prospective clients.
• Work with the booked client to detail their meal, set-up and audio-visual needs.
• Assist daily with set-up of tables, chairs, linens and centerpieces.
• Assist bartenders with bar back duties and serve and serve as a cashier for events with cash bars.
• Assist with audio visual needs for events.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in hospitality management, event planning, tourism, business or a related field is preferred.
• Ability to lift 25 pounds.
• Friendly and outgoing personality; detail oriented.
• Flexible schedule based on overall event schedule. 

Museum Collection 

The Museum Collection intern will assist the department with a variety of tasks related to collections care and museum exhibits. The intern will receive hands-on experience handling objects, developing exhibits and processing objects into the collection database.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist with research and care of collection objects in storage and on exhibit.
• Assist with the creation, installation and maintenance of exhibits and displays.
• Assist with accessioning donations and loans into the collection database.
• Help with the creation of condition reports, donations and loan documents, as needed.
• Work with the Communications Team in preparation for and during the annual Enshrinement Week with duties related to assisting the media with coverage of the Enshrinement and Hall of Fame Game.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in history, public history, museum studies or library and information science or a related field is preferred.
• Candidates are expected to participate in some heavy lifting and physical labor and must be able to lift and carry up to 40 pounds on occasion.
• Must be cordial and willing to work with the public.

Production 

The Production intern will assist with day-to-day production operations and projects leading up to Enshrinement Week. This intern will create and edit videos including but not limited to interviews, Hall of Famer vignettes, social media videos, long-form shows and be a part of content meetings to have input in developing production ideas. The intern will learn the best industry broadcast practices.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist in the day to operations of the Production Team and other duties and projects as assigned leading up to and during Enshrinement Week.
• Create and edit videos including but not limited to interviews, Hall of Famer vignettes, social media videos and long form shows.
• Develop, conceptualize and pitch creative ideas internally with confidence.
• Tasks include working with multiple cameras, combining footage from multiple sources, syncing and working with post-production audio, coloring and adding transition effects.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in journalism, productions, film and media arts or a related field is preferred.
• Adaptability, professional and willing to work with the public.
• Proficient in Adobe Premier Pro, Adobe Photo Shop and After Effects.
• Familiar with videography cameras – Blackmagic Pocket Cinema.

Sponsorship 

The Sponsorship intern will assist the department through a variety of projects and hands-on support before and during Enshrinement Week. The intern will have the opportunity to gain a broader understanding of sponsorship sales and the process required to secure new partners, learn brand evaluation and analysis, communication skills, coordinate brand activations and much more.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist the Partnerships team in managing day-to-day sponsor relationships.
• Help track sponsor deliverables and ensure activation elements are executed accurately.
• Support in preparing recap reports, presentations, proposals, and proof-of-performance documents for partners.
• Assist with the planning, setup, and execution of sponsorship activations during Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week and Fanfest.
• Conduct research on potential sponsors, industries, and trends to support new business development.
• Build and maintain prospect lists with key contacts and background information.
• Support the Partnerships team with drafting communications, proposals, and follow-ups.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in sales, business, entrepreneurship or a related field is preferred.
• Enthusiastic, high energy and team oriented.
• Salesforce Customer Relationship Management experience is preferred.

Youth, Education & Leadership

The Youth, Education & Leadership intern will assist in the communication and registration between the parents and youth leaders for the 4,000+ participants that register for the annual First Play event as well as other youth and education focused tasks. This intern will gain valuable experience with event planning, communication through a variety of mediums to diverse audiences as well as curriculum and program development for initiatives targeted towards youth.

Key responsibilities:

• Work closely with the parents and youth leaders for the 3,000 participants that register for the annual First Play event.
• Assist with planning and logistics for youth focused Enshrinement Week events.
• Update the Hall’s 300-plus page teacher activity guide and the 32 NFL team versions.
• Help with data mining new and updating existing contacts for all programming.
• Assist with many other duties under the Youth, Education & Leadership umbrella such as summer field trips, various summer events, developing new program presentations and updating field trip materials.
• Help coordinate events during Enshrinement Week.
• The intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within any department.  

Additional qualifications:

• Majoring in sports management, coaching, education or a related field is preferred.
• Ability to effectively plan and coordinate events.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences via email, phone and in-person.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is an equal opportunity employer. Football is a diverse and inclusive sport that is celebrated by people from all walks of life. As an extension of the sport and all it embodies, the Hall celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person valuable and intentionally fosters a diverse and inclusive environment. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply via an online application.

Salary Description

$5,000 stipend paid over 10-week internship