At the July 15 meeting, the CCC Board of Trustees unanimously voted to rename the south section of the Living Center East dorms after longtime CCC supporters Darvin and Tammi Strutt. The section of student housing, which is currently being renovated, will be named Strutt Hall.

"Having a building on the Colby Community College campus with our name on it is indeed a humbling time for Tammi, our family, and me," said Darvin. "We could have never dreamed while attending CCC we would be bestowed such an honor so many years later."

If not for the college, Darvin and Tammi may not have come to Colby. Darvin, an Oakley High School graduate, earned state champion and Grand State champion honors on the wrestling mat before he signed to continue his career with Coach Steve Lampe. After graduating from Palco High School, Tammi attended Fort Hays State University and then made her way west to attend CCC.

The couple married in 1985 and have since made Colby their home. They have a daughter, Kirstie who lives in Westminster, Colo., while son Trevor lives in Greeley, Colo.

Darvin owns and operates Strutt Insurance Services, Inc., and Tammi is the senior vice president of technology at Peoples State Bank. With their occupations, both have been actively involved with the community. Darvin is on the Meadowlake Golf Course board and a member of Kiwanis. Previously, he was chairman of the Colby Promotion Committee, president of the Colby Jaycees, regional and district director for the Kansas Jaycees, a U.S. Jaycees senator and ambassador, and a member of the Fort Hays State University Alumni Board. Tammi served as a member of the Colby Jaycees, the Thomas County Community Foundation and is currently a member of the Colby/Thomas County Diplomats.

In 2013, the Strutts were inducted to the CCC Hall of Fame. Their support of the college continues behind the scenes on various projects such as underwriting on the campus radio station and being a catalyst to the creation of the Big Blue Barn athletics training facility.

"We are excited for what is in store for our college in the future with such a supportive community behind it and amazing leadership pulling it forward," Darvin concluded. "Thank you to Coach Lampe for recruiting me to attend college here 44 years ago. This is truly an honor."

College president Dr. Seth Carter believes having the Strutts' name on the dorm is well deserved.

"Darvin and Tammi have been such wonderful ambassadors for Colby Community College and Northwest Kansas," he said. "They are incredible people, and we are thrilled to bestow this honor upon them."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at Strutt Hall is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Aug. 15.