OUR STORY

The Birth of the Liberty University Murph Challenge Veteran Charity Event

Nick Salonites grew up with a deep appreciation for veteran causes, shaped by the legacy of his grandfather, Carl Salonites, who served in the South Pacific during World War II. The summer after his freshman year at Liberty University, Nick volunteered at a Navy SEAL golf tournament in Nevada. Seeing firsthand the challenges many veterans face, he felt a calling to take action at his university.

Upon returning to Liberty, Nick sought guidance from Major General Bob Dees (Ret.), founder of the faith-based National Center for Healthy Veterans. General Dees encouraged him with two key directives:

1. Keep God at the forefront of the mission.

2. Engage deeply with the local veteran community.

Over the next two years, Nick’s faith and commitment to the veteran cause grew. Determined to make an impact, he dedicated six months leading into his senior year to organizing Liberty’s first 100% student-led Murph Challenge veteran charity event.

 

A Mission of Faith and Honor

The event was founded on a powerful mission:

"To share the love of Christ and bring glory to God by honoring the sacrifices of United States military veterans. Our goal is to raise awareness and funds for the National Center for Healthy Veterans, connect Liberty students with the local veteran community, and shed light on the crisis that 22 veterans take their own lives daily."

Nick mobilized 70 dedicated student volunteers, leading weekly meetings focused on marketing, fundraising, event planning, and sponsorship outreach. Despite numerous challenges, through God’s grace alone, the Murph Action Team successfully hosted the largest student-led event and fundraiser in Liberty University history on November 4, 2023. The event welcomed 450 attendees and raised nearly $40,000 for the cause.

 

A Legacy Continued

Two months later, the Murph Action Team selected rising senior Jacob Bull as the next president of the LU Murph Challenge. Jacob had long held a deep respect for America’s heroes and saw the challenge as a way to honor their legacy while promoting physical and mental resilience.

Under Jacob’s leadership, the initiative expanded significantly. The team grew to 120 student volunteers, strengthened its partnership with local veterans through service projects at Valor Farm, and laid the groundwork for a Murph Ministry.

On October 19, 2024, once again through God’s grace alone, the second annual LU Murph Challenge took place, doubling attendance to over 800 participants and raising nearly $46,000.

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The Birth of Never Surrender USA

As the movement gained momentum, students from other universities began reaching out, eager to bring the Murph Challenge to their own campuses. From this growing interest, Never Surrender USA (NSUSA) 501(c)3 was born—a nationwide movement dedicated to faith, patriotism, and honoring those who have served.

What started as a single event at Liberty University has now become a mission to inspire students across the country to honor veterans, serve their communities, and pursue physical, mental, and spiritual excellence.

This is just the beginning. Never Surrender.