Solicitors were seen around Rand Hall last week asking students to donate money to the Dayton chapter of Invasion Ministries. Students reported that the solicitors were selling flowers, as well as rapping for and praying over students before VUPD intervened on Sept. 22.
(Duaa Faquih)
Invasion Ministries — founded by Murad Muhammad in 2017 — quantifies their impact based on the number of salvations in different cities where they mission, according to the organization’s website. The solicitors were heard saying they aimed to make $600 in each city. They further were heard stating they would split this money, with half going to travel costs to the solicitors’ next destination and half going to their own profits.
“VUPD informed four individuals outside Rand Hall on Wednesday evening they are not allowed to solicit on Vanderbilt property,” a VUPD representative said in a message to The Hustler.
University policy prohibits third party solicitation of any kind and provides specific instructions that “strongly discourage” solicitation for religious purposes.
Sophomore Mai-Xuan Mantwill and her friends were approached by one of the solicitors who rapped an “intense verse” before moving onto prayers.
“My friend had to repeat [prayers] after him which was awkward for some of them because at least one of [my friends] wasn’t Christian,” Mantwill said. “Then, I think they gave him $5. He wanted $10 for one rose. That was a lot.”
Mantwill said the solicitor moved to another part of Fleming Yard after talking to her and her friends.
“I watched him serenade some girl, which seemed extremely uncomfortable because she was sitting by herself,” Mantwill said.
Kaden Tro, also a sophomore, described the solicitors as “scam artists.”
“They know what they’re doing and they’re smart for it. This is a good target, and they’re intelligent scam artists,” Tro said.
Rachael Perrotta and Brina Ratangee contributed reporting to this piece.
