Nelson Awarded 2018 Tomato Can Loving Cup

For his work to drive social and environmental change throughout his college career, Trevor Nelson, ’18 BSB, received the 2018 Tomato Can Loving Cup award, the most prestigious Carlson School award for an undergraduate student. Nelson was announced as the winner at the May 14 Carlson School commencement ceremony.

The trophy has been, per the engraving on its side, “presented annually to that person who in the course of the year has rendered the most distinctive service to the school” since alumnus Henry Hilton, ’29 BSB, cheekily fastened a tomato soup can to his mother’s wooden candlestick in 1929.

Nelson, a Supply Chain and Operations Management graduate, was on the executive board of Net Impact, whose mission is to empower a new generation to use business to drive social and environmental change throughout their career. He also served as co-coordinator, sustainability chair, and dinner chair for this year’s Business Week executive board, where he pioneered a zero-waste initiative across 12 events. That resulted in a year-over-year decrease in total waste.

Nelson was also an honors research assistant, held an internship with Embu County Ministry of Co-operative Development and Marketing in Kenya, and had two procurement internships with Supervalu, Inc. — all while maintaining a 3.81 GPA.

“Trevor has remarkable character,” one nominator wrote. “He is humble, influential, passionate, and puts others in front of himself. His compassion, seen in Net Impact and throughout Carlson, proves how worthy he is.”

Nelson will continue his mission to solve global sustainability issues as an agribusiness coordinator in Uganda with the Peace Corps.

By winning the award, Nelson is eligible for a half-tuition scholarship to the Carlson School Full-Time MBA program following two years of professional work experience.