The Holst family supports and inspires student Jarvas Polk through a scholarship
By Sarah Certa ’11
In June 2008 John ’99 and Heather ’00 Holst established a scholarship for Winona State University students in memory of their son, Braden, who was born on February 16, 2008 with Congenital Fiber Type Disproportionate Syndrome, a muscle disorder that has so far seen just 77 documented cases.
Braden inherited this rare disorder from his mother, although it never directly affected her. Heather explained that this is because the disorder is carried on the X-chromosome, and, as a female, she has a healthy X-chromosome to balance out the one that carries the disorder. When males inherit the “bad X,” however, they are severely affected.
Doctors were aware of Braden’s condition the minute he was born. He had no muscle tone in his upper extremities and was immediately taken to the intensive care unit and placed on oxygen assistance and a feeding tube. In the first few days following Braden’s birth the family was medically evacuated from their home at the time in Okinawa, Japan, to the intensive care unit in San Diego. Braden would spend the first 20 days of his life in the hospital before doctors felt comfortable discharging him.
Braden was a bright little boy who brought much joy to his family. By the time he was three months old he’d been on an aircraft carrier, visited the zoo, and won the hearts of everyone around him. Yet, devastatingly, the lack of muscle development in his chest ultimately led to cardiac failure, as his heart overcompensated for his underdeveloped lungs. Braden passed away on May 25, 2008, just a little over three months old.
John and Heather knew they wanted to keep Braden’s name and story alive by giving back to current WSU students. The couple met in 1996 while they were both students at Winona State. Heather, who earned her degree in secondary education, is originally from Duluth, Minnesota, and chose WSU because it was affordable. Meanwhile, John decided on WSU because it was close to his hometown of Austin, Minnesota. He studied pre-med and later joined the U.S. Navy as a flight surgeon.
Both Heather and John were active members of Greek society at Winona State and knew they wanted the scholarship to go to someone in a fraternity or sorority. Heather says her involvement with Phi Theta Chi granted her leadership and collaborative skills that benefit her to this day, while John says that Pi Lambda Phi gave him the confidence and courage to become a leader on campus, and, most importantly, life-long friends that continue to be by his side through every stage of life.
“Pi Lambda Phi has most certainly given me more than I gave during my brief time at WSU,” says John, “hence the reason for supporting the college and fraternity with the development of the Braden Holst Scholarship.”
This year the couple selected Jarvas Polk ’14 as the scholarship recipient, a member of Pi Lambda Phi who plans to graduate in May with his bachelor’s in accounting. The couple says they selected Polk because of his dedication not only to academia and the fraternity but also the nation.
“Coming from a military background, we can appreciate the time it takes to serve in the National Guard, and as we read his application, Jarvas’ personality and desire to succeed post bachelor’s degree was obvious. We feel honored to be able to assist him in his journey.”
Polk has been an active member of the military for the past eight years, including a yearlong tour in Afghanistan, where he helped train army and police forces. With his military duties, Polk has spent entire semesters away from WSU, only to return and find that “everyone else kept on living.” He says that while his experiences in the military have granted him the rare opportunity of entering the workforce before graduating, and that the problem-solving and leadership skills he’s gained as a result are invaluable, the road hasn’t always been easy.
Polk recalls returning to campus unable to relate to his old friends. “The military can be very isolating,” he says. The return from tour is something a lot of vets battle, and Polk says his involvement with Pi Lambda Phi has been “such a good support structure,” especially in regards to reintegrating into campus life after being away for military duty.
“It’s so nice to come back and have this immediate community,” says Polk. “It opens up so many social connections and is definitely part of why I’ve been successful, as a student and soldier.”
Currently, Polk is a first lieutenant in the Minnesota National Guard and works in the Veterans Affairs Office at WSU, a position he finds incredibly rewarding. “I really like trying to expand the amount of services offered to student veterans,” says Polk, and he plans on taking his passion for veteran advocacy to the next level.
Polk notes that veterans have an especially hard time finding jobs, since translating their military experiences to the business world can be difficult. “I want to find ways to advocate for all the vets in Minnesota, all the vets in the United States.”
Polk is also inspired by John’s military career, which has led the Holst family many places, from Iowa to Massachusetts, Virginia to Florida, and eventually to Okinawa, Braden’s birthplace. Today the couple lives in Heather’s hometown, where John works as the ultrasound director in the emergency room at St. Mary’s Hospital and Heather teaches part-time. Last year the couple was blessed with twin daughters Kyla and Kara, who no doubt bring the family light and keep everyone busy.
Polk says John and Heather are “the type of people you want to emulate. Giving back to students shows so much character. They’re the type of people who are so driven but never forget where they came from. “
