Buffalo State Sophomore Earns Prestigious Internship at NFL Hall of Fame

Daniel May, a Buffalo State College sophomore public relations and advertising major, loves football.

He played the sport at St. Mary’s High School in Lancaster and has been a fan of the National Football League (NFL) for as long as he can remember. When the opportunity arose to apply for an internship at the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, May jumped at the chance. He didn’t really think he had a shot.

“I wasn’t expecting a call back,” May said.

Not only did May get the call, but he also landed the prestigious internship, becoming one of only two applicants chosen out of the 250 students who applied for the position nationwide.

“They told me they liked my résumé, my experience, my personality, and my passion for football and communications,” he said. “It’s definitely exciting.”

May will head to Canton on June 1 and will work through August 10. While there, his duties will include internal and external communication for the Hall of Fame, writing news releases, and working at both the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the Hall of Fame game in August. He’ll also be responsible for issuing the 5,000 media credentials that are given out for the induction ceremony, making it the NFL’s second-largest event, after the Super Bowl.

“I’ll be able to meet a bunch of hall-of-famers,” he said.

Heading into high school, May said, he was quiet around people he didn’t know. His experiences in high school with his teachers, administrators, and peers helped him come out of his proverbial shell, and he decided he wanted to work in communications. When it came time for college, May wanted to stay local and was impressed with Buffalo State’s Communication Department.

“It was perfect,” he said. “I toured the college and loved it. It’s been a great fit.”

In addition to the internship, May also spent the first week of March at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, as sports editor for the Record, Buffalo State’s student-run newspaper. May noted that working for the Record has been a great experience. He was able to meet former players and interview general managers and coaches from several NFL teams.

May is also vice president of the Buffalo State chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), vice president for public relations for United Students Government (USG), and host of an NFL radio show, “The Blitz,” on WBNY-FM 91.3. He received the Communication Department’s Dr. Julia Piquette Communication Scholarship in 2021.

Deborah Silverman, associate professor of communication and chair of the department, said May was not only a great student but also involved in many activities and a great person.

“Needless to say, Daniel is extremely excited about this internship,” she said, “and I’m extremely proud of his achievements so far.”

May said he’d like to work in communications in the NFL in the future, either for a team or an NFL-affiliated organization. 

“That’s my dream job,” he said.

Top and bottom photo courtesy of NFL Hall of Fame. Daniel May photo by Buffalo State Creative Services