Helen Edison Lecture Series
The Helen Edison Lecture Series is the result of a major gift from the late Helen Edison, a San Diego philanthropist who supported numerous local educational, cultural and arts efforts. In accordance with the gift, since 1985 the series has presented free public lectures on issues that advance humanitarian purposes and objectives.
Helen Edison Lectures available online
Past Events
Helen Edison Lecture Series with Dr. Bernice A. King
Dr. Matthew Desmond: “Poverty, by America”
NY Times Columnist Charles Blow
Five-Time Grammy Winner Terence Blanchard Comes to Helen Edison
Music and the Border
American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference with Bryan Stevenson
John Lithgow: An Actor's Lessons
Resilient Cities: A Conversation with Judith Rodin
The Future of Criminal Justice and Journalism with Bill Keller
The New Frontiers of Design with Paola Antonelli
The Last of the President’s Men with Bob Woodward, Alex Butterfield and Michael Bernstein -- The Library Channel
Tomorrow’s Leaders: Building on the Legacy of Selma with Myrlie Evers-Williams
San Diego Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common
From Interstate 5:
- Take exit 16 from I-5 South toward 10th Ave/Tenth Ave. Continue on 10th Ave/Tenth Ave.
- Turn left onto G St.
- Turn right on Park Blvd.
- The Library is at the corner of 11th Avenue.
- ​Parking is underneath the library or in surrounding structures, or take the Trolley to the Imperial Transit Center.
UC San Diego Faculty Club
- From I-5, take the La Jolla Village Drive exit. Proceed west.
- La Jolla Village Drive turns into North Torrey Pines Road.
- Turn right on Muir College Drive.
- Proceed on Muir College Drive.
- At the second stop sign, turn right onto Muir Lane.
- At the next stop sign, turn left. (This is still Muir Lane.)
- Turn right into parking lot #206.
- The Faculty Club will be on your left.
Directions to the UC San Diego Faculty Club
UC San Diego Mandeville Theater
- From I-5 take the La Jolla Village Drive Exit. Proceed west.
- La Jolla Village Drive turns into North Torrey Pines Road.
- Turn Right on Muir College Drive.
- Parking will be the second lot on the right P-207.
Directions to UC San Diego Mandeville Theater
Scripps Seaside Forum
From Interstate 5:
- Take the La Jolla Village Drive exit. Proceed west.
- Turn right on Expedition Way.
- Stop at the stop sign just before the Aquarium. Turn right on Downwind Way.
- Follow the curve of the road to the end.
- Turn left onto La Jolla Shores Drive.
- Turn right onto El Paseo Grande.
- Turn right into the parking lot on Kennel Way.
From Highway 52:
- Take Highway 52 west onto La Jolla Parkway.
- La Jolla Parkway continues downhill into La Jolla. Turn right onto La Jolla Shores Drive.
- Turn left onto El Paseo Grande.
- Turn right into the parking lot on Kennel Way.
Directions to Scripps Seaside Forum
UC San Diego Price Center Ballroom
To the Gilman Visitor Information Booth:
- Take Interstate 5 and exit on La Jolla Village Dr and head west.
- Drive past the Villa La Jolla Drive traffic light and take the Gilman Drive off ramp, on the right.
- At the stop sign, make a right turn and the Gilman Visitor Information Booth will be on the right side designated with flagpoles.
To the Gilman Parking Structure:
- From the Gilman Visitor Information Booth, make a right on to Gilman Drive and follow the signage to the parking structure.
For more parking information, please contact the Gilman Visitor Information Booth at (858) 534-2208 or visit the Campus Visitor Website.
Directions to UC San Diego Price Center Ballroom
UC San Diego Institute of the Americas Auditorium
- From Interstate 5, exit at Genesee Avenue, and go west.
- Turn left at North Torrey Pines Road.
- Turn left on Pangea Drive.
- Parking will be to your left.
Directions to UC San Diego Institute of the America Auditorium
UC San Diego Eleanor Roosevelt College Great Hall
- From Interstate 5, exit at Genesee Avenue, and go west.
- Turn left at North Torrey Pines Road.
- Turn left on Pangea Drive.
- Parking will be to your left.
Directions to UC San Diego Eleanor Roosevelt College Great Hall
UC San Diego Weiss Theater/La Jolla Playhouse
- From Interstate 5, exit at La Jolla Village Drive and go west.
- Make a right turn onto Revelle College Drive.
- The Mandell Weiss Theater is on the right.
- Parking is on the left.
Helen Edison was a San Diego philanthropist with a great love for the arts and humanities. She spent much of her life in St. Louis with her husband, Simon, who founded the successful Edison Shoe chain.
Following the fire that destroyed the treasured Old Globe Theatre, Helen stepped forward to make a leadership gift in honor of her husband. This gift, by stock, was, at the time, the single largest gift ever made to a local institution.
Again, in 1994, Helen made another tremendous gift to support The Old Globe's gift shop that now bears her name. In addition, Helen was a supporter of UC San Diego and other worthwhile arts organizations.
Realizing the value of endowed giving, Helen endowed UC San Diego's Helen Edison Lecture Series, which hosts noted speakers from all fields of the humanities to share their thoughts with the university and wider community.
Helen Edison loved to entertain, bringing friends together around a piano or a dinner table. It is no surprise, then, that her largest gifts were made to a treasured theater and a lecture series, two forums that bring the public together for an entertaining and enlightening evening.
Event Contact
Andrew Waltz
awaltz@ucsd.edu
(858) 333-9563
Media Contact
Jennie Van Meter
jvanmeter@ucsd.edu
(858) 534-9228
Mailing Address
9500 Gilman Drive,
Mail Code 0170A
La Jolla, CA 92093-0170