Beyond the Balance Sheet

SLU Alumnus-Owned Company Offers an Internship Focused on Business and Purpose

Inside the California offices of North Point Mergers and Acquisitions, there is a space called “the hero room.”

Stocked with biographies of people who have changed the world — including St. Ignatius of Loyola — the room was inspired by something Saint Louis University alumnus David Jacquin (CSB ‘89) heard Warren Buffett say on the importance of choosing role models. There, North Point employees can think critically about what makes a hero, if fallen champions are redeemable and which leadership qualities are most effective. And thanks to Jacquin, that includes SLU students participating in the North Point Summer Internship Program.

We teach the interns about banking and Wall Street, but also give them tools they can use in life that aren’t necessarily around just what they do professionally."

— David Jacquin (CSB ‘89)

Jacquin said the program, which has been in place for two decades, teaches both banking and business and life lessons. That approach is consistent with the Jesuit education Jacquin received at SLU, he said.

“We teach the interns about banking and Wall Street, but also give them tools they can use in life that aren’t necessarily around just what they do professionally,” he said.

The first Saint Louis University student to go through the program, senior Alexander Carroll, said the program’s focus on educating the whole person was clear.

“They didn't just want someone to come to work to do a job; they wanted someone who shared their vision to grow with them,” Carroll said.

Carroll said he learned about the internship program through Yan Sun, Ph.D., chair of the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business’s Department of Accounting.

“Students in the Accounting and Business Consulting (ACCT 3060) course are introduced to the process and key steps of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), complete a case study, and present their findings to M&A professionals,” Sun said. “This internship offers students a unique and valuable opportunity to apply classroom learning, deepen their understanding of M&A, and gain firsthand experience at a leading investment bank. We are deeply grateful to North Point for their ongoing support in providing our students with these exceptional experiences.”

Carroll learned through case studies covering the outstanding aspects of past clients and possible liabilities, growing his oral presentation skills, presenting daily and learning how to critically assess documentation for key points.

A second intern from SLU has been accepted into the program for the summer of 2025.

“The internship was an amazing experience,” Carroll said. “Their care for their employees, along with their desire to help them in any way possible, was amazing to witness. From developing them professionally to personally, North Point was a company that had its employees first in priorities.”