The College of Arts and Sciences is proud to recognize Dr. Vasa Cate for his outstanding service to the University of South Carolina and the community. Dr. Vasa Cate was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but grew up in the St. Andrews area of Columbia where he attended Columbia city schools. He graduated from Columbia High School in 1960 and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1964 from the University of South Carolina. He attended the University of South Carolina Graduate School, where he studied Biology from 1964 until 1966 and had a graduate teaching assistantship during that time. In 1970, Vasa received his MD degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, and he did his internship and residency in internal medicine and trained in gastroenterology from 1970 until 1974 at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Vasa was stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina from 1974 to 1977 and was assigned to the Internal Medicine Department. He served as Assistant Chief of Medicine there from 1976 until 1977. In 1977, he established Consultants in Internal Medicine next to the Lexington Medical Center and later renamed his practice Consultants in Gastroenterology. While on the staff at Lexington Medical Center, Vasa served on many committees. He was president of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Society of Internal Medicine and also served on the Board of Trustees of the South Carolina Medical Association. While in private practice, he was appointed the first Medicare Medical Director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina. He also received the Lexington Medical Center Foundation's "Stilwell Award for Achievement in Philanthropy".

Vasa has been a member of a number of other boards and committees including: The Lexington State Bank; BB&T of South Carolina, where he has served as Chairman of the Board of BB&T of South Carolina the past two years; Lexington Medical Center Board of Trustees; Lexington Medical Center Foundation Board; and MUSC Alumni Association. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, South Carolina Medical Association, and the Lexington Medical Association.

Vasa also serves the University of South Carolina in many capacities. He is a member of the USC Alumni Association, is a past chairman of the Lexington County Gamecock Club Board of Directors and currently is a member emeritus. Also he has served on the Executive Committee of the USC Gamecock Club. He is currently serving as the Chair of the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Council.

In 2004, he retired from his practice, Consultants in Gastroenterology. In his free time Vasa enjoys following his beloved Gamecocks, spending time with his golden retrievers Beau and Missy, playing golf, relaxing on Lake Murray, and spending time at the beach. He is a member of Union United Methodist Church. Vasa has been married to his wife, Brenda, for over forty years and they have two daughters, a son, and two grandsons who live in Kansas.

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