Renewing culture
Marshall McKay
Positions: Former chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and member of the UC Davis Foundation Board
A cornerstone of Marshall McKay’s vision is his commitment to Native American cultural renewal — a focus he extends into education and sustainable land-use practices. Former chairman 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 first university in the nation to have a Department of Native American Studies, UC Davis is committed to advancing scholarly knowledge while also attending to the needs of native communities. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Endowed Chair in California Indian Studies was funded in order to benefit all native people in California. Today, the funds from that chair are being used to help revitalize California native languages.
“When we work together,” McKay said at the 2008 UC Davis Centennial Fall Convocation, “we create a balanced picture of tribal life in California.”
