Quotable Del Mar: Mary Walshok
“Many of the contemporary social issues that most vex and engage us can be addressed through arts experiences. Interaction through music, dance, food, theater can give ‘voice’ to distinctive traditions and imaginations, building respect and affection for our diversity.
“I recently retired from an exciting and fulfilling 50 year career at UC San Diego as a sociologist interested in economic and demographic issues in terms of my own activism, research and writing. Now my life has blossomed in new ways.
“In the two years since I’ve retired I have focused most of my energy on the arts and humanities. I am privileged to have joined the board of The Conrad Prebys Foundation which makes significant investments in the arts as well as continuing to serve as a board member of the La Jolla Playhouse, the San Diego Opera and San Diego Jazz ventures. Each of these forward focused organizations invests in new and emerging voices in the arts that are important and necessary. My work goes on.”
Mary Walshok, Del Mar resident since the 1970s, has been instrumental in the growth of UC San Diego, Mary has been the Associate Vice Chancellor of Public Programs, the Dean of UC San Diego Extension, and Adjunct Professor of Sociology among other positions. She facilitated the expansion of the downtown campus at Park & Market “an accessible, world-class space built on the idea that a university’s relationship with its community should be as diverse and dynamic as the community itself”. She has been a visiting professor at Oxford University’s Department of Continuing Education and the Stockholm School of Economics. Mary has received numerous awards, authored many articles and OpEds and six books, and is finishing a new book with UCSD colleague, John Skrentny. In addition Mary has served on institutional boards including the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science, and as the US Member on the International Advisory Board for the Science and Technology Council of Oman.