Cultural renewal

A cornerstone of Chairman Marshall McKay’s vision is his commitment to Native American cultural renewal—a focus he extends into education and sustainable land-use practices.

McKay and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation have given abiding support to UC Davis, including a significant gift for the Mondavi Center and two endowed chairs—one in Native American studies and another in pediatric endocrinology.

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Endowed Chair in California Indian Studies was funded to benefit all Native people in California. Today, the funds from that chair are being used to help revitalize California Native languages.

With the help of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Endocrinology, Professor Dennis Styne is empowering Native American youth and communities to lead healthier lives. The endowed chair also helped Styne and others leverage more than $1.5 million in additional funding to support his health programs.

“When we work together,” McKay said at the 2008 UC Davis Centennial Fall Convocation, “we create a balanced picture of tribal life in California.”