New endowment will benefit several generations of Aiken Tech nursing students

The Henry Pickens Cato Revocable Trust has donated $350,000 to the Aiken Technical College Foundation to establish endowments for student nursing scholarships and nursing lab equipment.

From the donation, $250,000 will be used to establish the Henry P. Cato and Lisa Jones Cato Endowed Scholarship Fund for Nursing. The remaining $100,000 will go toward a nursing lab equipment endowment for the new Nursing Education Center, scheduled to begin construction in 2025.

The donation fulfills the late Henry Cato's desire to give back to the community he loved in a way that would impact generations to come, said his family and friends: "Henry believed in education and helping people who wanted to better themselves. Henry battled an illness that would eventually take his life. He would spend many days, weeks, and sometimes months in hospitals in his final years. The care provided for him by the nurses and medical support teams was invaluable to his quality of life. 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 financial assistance for future nurses."

The Henry P. Cato and Lisa Jones Cato Endowed Scholarship Fund for Nursing will provide scholarships for nursing students with a 3.0 grade point average or higher. The scholarships will be awarded based on merit and financial need.

Students will be able to apply for the Henry P. Cato and Lisa Jones Cato Endowment Scholarship Fund for Nursing scholarships during the ATC Foundation's annual scholarship application process held January 1-March 1 of each year.

"We are grateful to the Cato family for supporting our nursing program. Well-trained nurses are critical to our healthcare industry and its ability to meet our community's health and wellness needs. Thanks to this new endowment, we can help ensure our top nursing students can complete their studies by lessening the financial concerns they may face," said Aiken Tech President Dr. Forest Mahan.

Equipment purchased from the nursing lab equipment endowment will help create a state-of-the-art learning environment, allowing students to gain experience using the same tools and resources they will see in the workplace, added Mahan.

"The Nursing Education Center will become the new home of our School of Nursing, where we will educate and prepare nurses to meet our community’s health and wellness needs. We look forward to dedicating a computer lab in Mr. Cato’s memory," Mahan said.

Henry Cato was an avid equestrian, having grown up riding horses with his father and siblings on the Cato family farm in Charlotte. Later, he managed the family farm and hosted charity polo events there.

In Aiken, Henry and Lisa built an 82-acre equestrian facility called the C II Polo farm.

A longtime member of the U.S. Polo Association, Henry Cato was president of the Charlotte Polo Club, vice president of the Metro Polo Club, and served on the Aiken Polo Club board. He also was a real estate investor and often played tennis at the Aiken Tennis Club.

Henry Cato passed away in August 2022.

"Henry had a way of connecting with people of all walks of life. 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."—Family and friends of Henry