USCA Nursing gets $350K for scholarships

The University of South Carolina Aiken has received a $350,000 legacy gift from the estate of Henry Pickens Cato to create an endowed scholarship to support future generations of nursing students.

With the gift, The Henry P. Cato and Lisa Jones Cato Endowed Scholarship Fund for Nursing will be established at the university to provide scholarships to full-time students accepted into USCA’s traditional BSN or RN-BSN nursing programs.

The scholarship is expected to support five USCA nursing students per year at approximately $2,500 per student. USCA nursing students must have both merit and documented financial need, and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to be eligible to receive the scholarship.

Cato, a long-time advocate for quality education, believed in the transformative power of helping people who wanted to better themselves. He passed away on Aug. 16, 2022, after battling an illness that left him spending many days, weeks and sometimes months in hospitals in his final years.

“The care provided for Henry by the nurses and medical support teams was invaluable to his quality of life,” said the co-trustees of Cato’s estate. “Providing an endowment for nursing scholarships in his revocable trust was the way Henry chose to recognize nurses who cared for him and to provide educational assistance for future nurses.”

USCA Chancellor Dr. Daniel J. Heimmermann, the Aiken Partnership Board and the university’s School of Nursing extend their deepest gratitude to Cato for his generosity. The donation will be stewarded to ensure that the USCA School of Nursing continues to develop highly skilled nurses ready to provide safe, quality health care.

“The endowment from Henry Pickens Cato will profoundly enhance our scholarship offerings, providing a perpetual source of essential financial assistance to our nursing students,” said Dr. Katie Chargualaf, dean of USCA’s School of Nursing. “This targeted support is designed to enable them to complete their education and in doing so, improve the health outcomes of individuals and communities.”

Cato was married to Lisa Renee Jones and enjoyed success as a real estate investor. He was a board member of the Aiken Polo Club and an avid court tennis player at the Aiken Tennis Club.

“Henry loved people and had a way of connecting with people in all walks of life,” the co-trustees of his estate said. “He had a quick smile, said kind words and made you laugh. He was a very compassionate person who liked to do acts of kindness and liked to help others.”

USCA’s School of Nursing plans to dedicate a classroom in the Alan B. Miller Nursing Building later this year in honor of Cato’s legacy.

About USCA

USCA is a regional comprehensive university that consistently ranks as one the top public colleges in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 3,700 students attend the university, which provides bachelor’s and master’s degrees in more than 70 programs of study while offering intimate class sizes and personal attention on its 453-acre campus. Boasting a diverse student body, individuals from 35 states and 36 countries benefit from a high-caliber education at a net tuition far lower than the national average.

For more information, contact USCA Marketing & Communication at news@usca.edu.