University warns of religious group recruitment efforts

Director of Housing and Residence Life Kevin Krauskopf sent an email on Feb. 8, to students who live on campus discussing a religious organization’s presence and their attempts to recruit new members.

“It has come to my attention that an off-campus religious organization has been approaching students in the residence halls. During these interactions they have been trying to recruit students into their organization,” said Krauskopf.

“If you are approached by someone in this group, please notify Public Safety with a brief description of the individuals(s) that approached you so they can escort them out of the residence hall.”

Krauskopf did not include the name of the group. Elmhurst University administration officials and campus security did not respond to The Leader’s request for comment.

Some EU students have been approached by people claiming to be of a religious organization. The Leader was unable to verify whether this group was the one mentioned in the email.

During J-Term, EU sophomore Lola Frost was in her dorm room when she heard, down the hall, the sounds of evangelism. Two individuals, a man and a woman, were talking to one of Frost’s neighbors about God.

“I heard them [the two individuals] at my neighbor’s door first,” said Frost in a Zoom interview with The Leader. “And so I anticipated them. But they knocked on my door, and I have neighbors down the hall that I’m friends with, I thought it was one of them.”

Frost grabbed a mask and when she opened the door, two masked individuals wearing backpacks stood before her. Frost felt the backpacks were out of place as it was an unusual time to be having classes.

“They were like ‘we have goodie bags that we’re handing out, do you want one?’ And I was like ‘sure.’ So they gave me one, and I took it. And then they were like ‘is there anything going on that we can pray for you for?’”

“I thought it was kinda funny, I was like doing a bit with it. So I was like ‘oh yeah, you know I’m just really stressed out right now, like general stress’ and so they were like ‘can we pray for you? Can we pray for you right now?’ And I was like ‘yeah, sure,’” said Frost.

Before leaving, the two asked if Frost would like to join the organization they were a part of [the two did identify the group, but Frost could not recall what the specific name was]. Frost declined.

“There was one time I was in the cafeteria around lunch and there was somebody going up to almost every student who was eating alone and trying to recruit them for their religious beliefs,” said EU sophomore Ethan Welfer in an email to The Leader. “I didn’t think anything of it until I got more information from other students in the school.”