Business major Jacob DeMille poses for a portrait on a snowy day in front of the Anderson Student Center on February 20, 2019 in St. Paul. DeMille was photographed for the Humans of St. Thomas series.

Humans of St. Thomas: Jacob DeMille

Senior Jacob DeMille’s Blue Cross Blue Shield summer internship started out as an opportunity to gain experience in the medical field. The Green Bay, Wisconsin, native and Opus College of Business student is majoring in business administration with a concentration in leadership and management, and with the goal of having a career in medical sales, the program seemed like a good fit.

It was, not least in part because he learned a 12-week lesson on corporate social responsibility: DeMille and several colleagues dedicated a good part of their summer to Habitat for Humanity and the Chainbreaker ride, a bike tour that raises research funds for the Masonic Children’s Center.

“I hadn’t been exposed much to this concept [of corporate social responsibility] and as I was around it more I saw how important it is and what it brought, the impact it has with the community,” DeMille said. “I was kind of shook by it, initially. It started snowballing for me, seeing all the things that make such a difference for the community as a whole, and even for individuals how much impact these efforts can have. … Being a part of an organization that values that is something I prided myself on.”

The experience built on DeMille’s life on- and off-campus at St. Thomas as he worked hard to become a part of his local St. Paul community. He and several friends’ intramural basketball team, the Marshal Stop Stoppers, are sponsored by neighborhood business owners they frequent, work for and maintain good relationships with. DeMille has also carried those same values into his work as a commuter mentor at St. Thomas.

“You see that at St. Thomas with so many partnerships and efforts with surrounding community members,” DeMille said. “A lot of that connection and strong relationships are a product of the way St. Thomas in general teaches and incorporates the community into academics.”

We caught up with DeMille on a recent snowy February morning to find out more about him.

Where would you go if you could go anywhere on a trip right now?

I grew up going on Lake Michigan and working at the marinas. It would be a phenomenal experience to take a private charted boat out throughout Europe, the Caribbean, all over to access places by boat. … Scrap that. What I would like to do is go to the Masters Tournament down in Augusta, Georgia. I went to the U.S. Open in Erin Hills in summer 2017. That’s a cool, cool sport with a lot of rich history and talented athletes. Big guys, small guys, just bombing the ball. And it’s such a tough mental sport.

If I told you that you have five minutes to pack for a trip but I can’t tell you where you're going, what would be the most important non-clothing things you would bring?

Cocoa butter chap stick. … Obviously a wallet. My water bottle; I’m always filling up that with ice and staying hydrated. For an oddball item I don’t have anything big that jumps out. If I had my chapstick I would probably be alright.

What’s the best concert you’ve ever attended?

I went to the Summer Sixteen Tour in St. Paul to watch Drake play. That was my first ever concert and it was excellent. I also recently went to Travis Scott at Target Center with 15 or 16 of my good friends. We had this whole section to ourselves and had a total ball. … The show ended and we were ready for two more hours. That was a top of the line experience.

What’s your favorite song right now?

Probably “Middle Child” by J. Cole. I took a shower the other day and it was on for four straight songs.

If you could have a perfect day, start to finish, what would be involved?

Waking up, getting to T’s and having a breakfast burrito. Some kind of workout in. Getting back, let’s say it’s a Sunday, and getting to watch Aaron Rodgers sling the cookie around the park would be phenomenal. It would be nice to watch them during a time to watch, say, wild card playoff football and then watch the Wisconsin basketball team taking on, say, Michigan on the road. … That would be a cliché perfect day: Getting in a good workout and getting to hang with friends to watch some sports.

And even with that answer, it all depends on the season, the weather. Another great day would be up in Door County, getting in the water and taking the Boston Whaler … and staying on the north side of the beach. Coming back to shore, going to Malibou Moo's Frozen Griddle for frozen custard, then going back to my parent’s place for a cheeseburger and walking on the beach, then going out to Bayside to end the night. That’s a completely different combination from not being at college, but being back home, that would be a different perfect.