About Matt Nelson
Matthew Nelson
GTS Mentor
Experience:
As a student at SDSU involved with e3, the Outstanding Business Student Organization of 2009, Matt joined the group in 2007 by helping coordinate and promote SDSU’s first ever Bike Crusade. From there he joined e3′s executive board where he ultimately became the CFO in 2008-2009, his final year of college. During his term as CFO, Matt also acted as team leader supervising and overseeing other e3 members contributing efforts to establish SDSU’s first ever Farmer’s Market on-campus. The SDSU Farmers’ Market continues each semester on a weekly schedule providing SDSU and e3 with a reliable source of revenue while supporting the businesses of local food vendors and produce growers. Matt is excited to discuss Finance related topics and others to include; organizing Farmers’ Markets; Solar Thermal Systems; Sailing; and Bicycling.
Skills:
- Organizing a farmers’ market
- Lobbying to successfully create a bike lane
- Event Planning
- Finance & accounting
- Grant writing
Why help Students?
Matt’s passion to help students developed when he connected the dots between his own interpretation of “Power of the Purse” and collective action. “Power of the Purse,” to Matt represents injustice and opportunity. The injustice arises when the reality is that a majority of our Nation’s wealth is controlled by 1-2% of our population. Matt finds opportunities to equalize the aforementioned injustice by promoting and taking part in collective action which is a simple concept of “Power in Numbers”. As a college student, Matt saw many fellow students going through their personal discovery phases as they developed into mature adults. Having lived through his own discovery period prior to his tenure at SDSU, he was truly inspired to help younger students realize the “power” they have on campus. Through the experience he has had and the successes he has achieved at SDSU while working “collectively” with other students, he is truly dedicated to sharing his stories about life as a student ambitious to make a positive impact on campus, in the local community and globally.
Organizational Affiliations:
Currently, Matt works with Green Tower Sustainability in Start-Up Business Development; 411GreenWave as a Renewable Energy Consultant specializing in Solar Thermal Systems; REeBroker as a California Real Estate Salesperson Lic. # 01783635; Mission Bay Aquatic Center as a US Sailing Certified Small Boat Sailing Instructor; and Matt likes to give back to the community by volunteering with Challenged America for Sailors with Disabilities as a Companion Sailor and Sailing Instructor. He also maintains an open line of contact with the Enviro-Business Society (e3) at SDSU. Often, Matt will be found sailing as a crewmate aboard Oly (Olson 30′), Trippin (Trip 40′), or B’Quest II (Nelson/Maerk 43′) or bicycling in San Diego.