Thanks to Wilmer Harms, North Newton, and his wife, the late Esther Harms, more housing options will be available on the Tabor College campus in the fall of 2012. The Tabor College Board of Directors approved a building project at their meeting Monday in Hillsboro.

The housing project, to be constructed at 218 S. Madison, west of Cedar Hall, will have the capacity to house 16 students.

Harms, a former Tabor College student who went on to pursue degrees in medicine in 1956 and ophthalmology in 1968, has practiced his entire life in the central Kansas and Harvey County area.

He is the founding chairman of the board of the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies since its formation in 1975. He also is a member emeritus of the Tabor College Board of Directors, serving from 1978 to 1996.

Harms has authored five books. As a dedicated student of Mennonite history, he led many educational tours to Russia.

This is the not the first time that Tabor has been a recipient of generosity from the Harms family. They also have endowed student scholarships and have donated more than 600 volumes to the CMBS archives.

Harms’ son, Kevin, and his wife Rebecca also are graduates of Tabor College.

“It (The gift) is a wonderful tribute to the on-going relationship Wilmer and Esther have had through the decades with Tabor College,” Vice President of Advancement Ron Braun said. “This housing unit comes at a time when Tabor College is experiencing record growth. Because of their generosity, more students will be able to be a part of the Tabor community.”

The facility is expected to be complete and ready for occupancy in the fall.