2024 SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
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 are required to attend weekly OTAs – organized team activities – which includes engagement with industry experts, networking opportunities, professional skill development and team building activities.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame understands most individuals seeking an internship are doing so to gain experience. While no particular professional experience is required, preference is given to those who show that they have taken initiative to develop their personal and professional skills.
TERM & HOURS: The program runs June 3 through Aug. 5, 2024. Interns will be required to work five full days (approximately 40 hours) per week, including some nights and weekends and extended hours leading up to and during Enshrinement Week.
The Hall of Fame places a priority on having an in-person workplaces, which enable us to more effectively collaborate, connect and build a workplace environment that allows us to work as a team. For those reasons, this is an in-person internship.
COMPENSATION: Interns will receive a $5,000 stipend paid throughout the duration of the internship.
ELIGIBILITY/EDUCATION: The Hall of Fame is looking to draft rising stars to join its team this summer. Eligibility for the Hall’s Summer Internship Program includes current undergraduate sophomores (rising juniors), graduate students or recent graduates (winter 2023 or spring 2024).
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Knowledge of professional football, sports business and nonprofits, preferred.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office – primarily Word and Excel.
- Quick to adapt, flexible, able to work well under deadline pressure.
- Strong work ethic and organizational skills.
- Minimum GPA of at least 3.0.
- 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.
- Strong organizational skills, ability to multitask and desire to work in a team environment.
- Strong desire to learn along with professional drive.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be submitted no later than Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. No exceptions will be made for those who miss the application deadline.
2024 SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM POSITIONS
There are 15 available internship positions available across 12 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 – 1
- Archives & Football Information – 1
- Communications – 2
- Events – 1
- Hospitality – 1
- Marketing – 1
- Museum Collection – 2
- Production – 1
- Retail & Merchandise – 1
- Sponsorship – 2
- Volunteer Management – 1
- Youth, Education & Leadership – 1
Accounting
The Accounting intern will be exposed to the specialized field of non-profit accounting by assisting the department on a variety of monthly procedures and reconciliations.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist with the month end close process, including system and account reconciliations.
- Assist with monthly updating for our capital assets.
- Help with the accounts payable process, including sending out and reconciling invoices in the Hall’s AP system, Tipalti.
- Assist with the accounts receivable process, including daily cash counting, reconciliation and check processing.
- Help prepare for Enshrinement Week cash procedures.
- Assist on monthly tax returns and reconciliations.
- Help prepare monthly and quarterly financials for internal reporting.
Additional Qualifications:
- Majoring in accounting or finance, preferred.
There is one position available.
Archives & Football Information
The Archives and Football Information intern assists in gathering information needed to archive and fill research requests from the many and varied users of the Hall’s Ralph Wilson Jr. Pro Football Research & Preservation Center. They will have the opportunity to work with the Hall of Fame’s two-dimensional archival collection of documents, photographs and digital assets.
Key Responsibilities:
- Help process, organize, inventory and digitize the Hall’s collection in the Ralph Wilson Jr. Pro Football Research & Preservation Center.
- Help the museum team write and proofread captions and install exhibits.
- Work closely with Research, Archives, Museum and Communications Teams to provide information, produce and edit content for Hall of Fame exhibits and various publications.
- Assist in research, writing and proofreading assignments for print and online publications.
- 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.
- In addition to the above duties, the intern can be expected to assist with other special projects as needed.
Additional Qualifications:
- Basic knowledge of the National Football League and its history. In addition, the candidate for this position must also be willing to familiarize themself with current events of the sport, so that their ready knowledge of this subject will make them better able to perform all duties of the internship.
- Must be cordial and willing to work with the public.
There is one position available.
Communications
The Communications interns assist the department through a variety of content-generation projects and hands-on support before and during Enshrinement Week. These interns will have the opportunity to develop their writing skills, create content for the Hall’s digital platforms, draft press 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 with the creation of communications materials — annual Yearbook, Media Guide, news releases, internal company documents, newsletters, emails, etc.
- Write feature articles for use on ProFootballHOF.com.
- Fact-check and assist with historical research.
- In addition to the above duties, the intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within the department as needed.
Additional Qualifications:
- Majoring in communications, sports communications, public relations or related field, preferred.
- Ability to process and proofread materials efficiently.
- Must be cordial and willing to work with the public.
There are two positions available.
Events
The Events intern will help plan details and execute logistics for large scale events such as the Awards of Excellence and Enshrinement Week. This intern will learn how the 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.
Additional Qualifications:
- Ability to lift 25 pounds.
- Friendly and outgoing personality.
- Detail oriented.
- Flexible schedule based on overall event schedule.
There is one position available.
Hospitality
The Hospitality intern will gain experience in all aspects of the event process. This will encompass selling and booking the space, detailing the event, collecting payment and executing the event. 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.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist in booking inquiries, updating Salesforce 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 with set-up of tables, chairs, linens and centerpieces.
- Assist bartenders with bar back duties and serve as a cashier for events with cash bars.
- Assist with audio visual needs for events.
- Attend interdepartmental meetings.
Additional Qualifications:
- Ability to lift 25 pounds.
- Friendly and outgoing personality.
- Detail oriented.
- Flexible schedule based on overall event schedule.
There is one position available.
Marketing
The Marketing intern works closely with the department to provide creative ideas, research and data collection in an effort to develop, expand and maintain our marketing channels.
Key Responsibilities:
- Work with the Marketing Team in preparation for and during Hall’s annual Enshrinement Week with duties related to assisting in promotional and activation opportunities on the campus and offsite, ticketing, event set-up and execution, sales efforts and other tasks as needed.
- Collect quantitative and qualitative data from marketing campaigns.
- Distribute marketing materials.
- Assist in digital and traditional marketing efforts utilizing assets which may include social media, email and digital campaigns, as well as traditional outlets including print, direct mail, radio and television.
- In addition to the above duties, the intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within the department as needed.
Additional Qualifications:
- Majoring in marketing, communications, graphic design, public relations, sport management or a related field.
- Skills in multimedia software, such as InDesign and Photoshop, beneficial.
- Knowledge of marketing best practices, preferred.
There is one position available.
Museum Collection
The Museum Collection interns assist the department with a variety of tasks related to collections care and museum exhibits. The interns 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.
- In addition to the above duties, the intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within the department as needed.
Additional Qualifications:
- Majoring in history, public history, museum studies or library and information science or related field.
- 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.
There are two positions available.
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 a have input in developing production ideas.
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.
- In addition to the above duties, the intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within the department as needed.
Additional Qualifications:
- 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, preferred.
There is one position available.
Retail & Merchandise
The Retail & Merchandise intern will get a well-rounded experience in the retail operation of a museum and during Enshrinement Week. They will experience front-facing customer service, learn selling skills, inventory replenishment, warehouse duties, office work, how to use a point-of-sale system and an inventory system and gain an understanding of the back end of an e-commerce store. They will also learn to manage retail staff, create work schedules and operate a satellite retail location during Enshrinement Week.
Key Responsibilities:
- Work in the Hall of Fame Store to learn front-end customer service, selling skills, replenishing inventory, running a cash register, merchandising and display techniques.
- Work with store management on creating a weekly work schedule for staff based on budgets.
- Learn warehouse duties, processing and shipping e-commerce orders and the inventory management system.
- Assist with retail office duties including data entry of purchase orders, adding items to the e-commerce site and working with the merchandise accounts payables team.
- Managing a group of retail staff that work pop-up locations during Enshrinement Week. Creating schedules, tracking worker details, setting up and operating a pop-up retail location. This includes merchandising the tent, selling product during the event, managing inventory levels and closing out the location after the event.
- In addition to the above duties, the intern can be expected to assist with other special projects within the department as needed.
Additional Qualifications:
- Must be cordial and willing to work with the public.
- Retail experience, preferred.
- Able to stand for a long period of time and climb ladders.
There is one position available.
Sponsorship
The Sponsorship interns assist the department through a variety of projects and hands-on support before and during Enshrinement Week. They 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 with ticket coordination, hotel room accommodations and transportation for key partners during Enshrinement Week.
- Facilitate communications to each sponsor attending Enshrinement Week festivities.
- Work closely with the Events and Operations staff on the details, coordination and successful execution of sponsor activations for Enshrinement Week.
- Initiate and develop the creative template for event recap reports for all sponsors that reflect the value and ROI of their partnership.
- Assist the Sponsorship Team in day-to-day fulfillment of current partnership assets.
- Support the Sponsorship Team in the business development process including sponsor prospect research, proposal creation and all other aspects of the sales process.
- Work with Sponsorship Team to develop more efficiencies and communication platforms to engage regularly with partners.
- Be a part of creative brainstorming sessions for partner social, digital and other activation platforms.
Additional Qualifications:
- Enthusiastic, high energy and team oriented.
- Salesforce Customer Relationship Management experience, a plus.
There is one position available.
Volunteer Management
The Volunteer Management intern assists the Volunteer Team with two distinct groups of volunteers – year-round museum volunteers and the community committee volunteers that assist with the events surrounding Enshrinement Week.
Key Responsibilities:
- Learn the volunteer management software system, Volgistics, and use the system to assist museum volunteers in their hours, scheduling and training.
- Complete a research project for the museum volunteer program.
- 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.
- Attend events during the annual Enshrinement Week where the community committee volunteers are working to assist and supervise their duties.
Additional Qualifications:
- Majoring in history, public administration, non-profit management, human resource management or related field.
- Must have a customer-service focus, keen attention to detail, be well organized, have a positive attitude and be adaptable.
- Experience volunteering or working for a historical organization, preferred.
There is one position available.
Youth, Education & Leadership
The Youth, Education & Leadership Team intern’s primary responsibility is to register and communicate to 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 4,000+ 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.
Additional Qualifications:
- Ability to effectively plan and coordinate events.
- Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences via email, phone and in-person.
There is one position available.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame provides equal employment opportunities to all employees/interns and applicants for employment/internships and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
The application process for the 2024 Summer Internship Program is now avialable. The deadline to apply is Monday, Dec. 11, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please contact Interns@ProFootballHOF.com with any questions.