This post was written by Hatchet Reporter Martha Batruny.

Alex Lopoukhine sounds like a typical GW student: he has volunteered with Ethiopian refugees, he has studied abroad in Barcelona and, now, he wants your vote.

Lopoukhine, a 2006 alumnus, is currently in second place out of 700 contestants in the search for a host of a new TV series called “Paradise Hunter.”

The premise of the 52-week expedition is to find the true meaning of ‘paradise.’

“I’m just going to do it and see what happens,” Lopoukhine said about his spontaneous decision to participate in the competition.

After volunteering with an Ethiopian refugee family for seven months, Lopoukhine said he was inspired to put himself out there.

“It takes something to remind you that you can’t stop reaching, because you don’t know how much time you have,” he said.

The competition is made up of three phases: phase one voting closed last week, the top 40 candidates will be announced on Nov. 22. and then voting continues until Dec. 15. The winner will be announced on Feb 15.