My name is Jordan Dunn and I am a 22-year-old graduate of Belmont University, Class of 2019. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, I attended Belmont as an Honors student and double major in Economics and Information Systems. I am a Christ follower, family man, traveler, outdoorsman, and entrepreneur (and Enneagram number 7).

Since I was young, I’ve had a deep love for exploration. Whether on land, in the air, or at sea, I have always desired to test the limits of the human spirit against the challenges of nature. Most of all, I believe that adventure is a powerful tool for healing the soul and connecting with our Creator. While growing up backpacking and rock climbing, I also developed a heart for international missions—working in the Dominican Republic, Kenya, India, Chile, and Israel. My goal is to fuse my love for outdoor adventure with my dream of international service, utilizing my entrepreneurial skills in the process. This journey begins in Nepal.

During my freshman year of college, I began exploring the world of mountaineering and stumbled upon a people group in Nepal called the Sherpa—a small community known for their strong climbing skills and impressive adaptation to the Himalayan environment. Unfortunately, people like the Sherpa and natural landscapes like the Himalayas are often exploited by tourism. My plan is to help solve this problem by one day creating an international expedition organization that not only promotes sustainable adventure, but also uses its profits to give back to local communities like the Sherpa through economic development, conservation and healthcare. To gain the valuable knowledge and insight I need for this monumental task, I will begin life after graduation by working in Nepal.

With the help of Belmont’s Lumos Scholarship, I will trek through Sherpa villages across the Himalayas to learn their story, aid the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) in protecting Nepal’s precious mountainous wildlife, and end my trip by working in healthcare in Kathmandu. Together, these experiences will give me the foundation I need for my future plan.

I hope you will join me on my adventure. I look forward to sharing this experience!

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”