Open University of Wellfleet
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    • John Dennis Anderson
    • Janis Bergman-Carton
    • Judith Blau
    • Betsy Bray
    • Barbara Brennessel
    • Bill Burke
    • Dwight Estey
    • John Cumbler
    • Nathalie Ferrier
    • Rhoda Flaxman
    • Morgan Henderson
    • Deborah Forman
    • Ed Golden
    • Elissa Greenwald
    • Megan Hinton
    • Grace Hopkins
    • Alice M. Iacuessa
    • Fred Magee
    • Jeanne Mc Nett
    • Linda B. Miller
    • Ed Miller
    • Julie Mockabee
    • Pat Nash
    • Christopher Ostrom
    • John Portnoy
    • Steve Reynolds
    • Robert Rindler
    • Seth Rolbein
    • Elliot Paul Rothman
    • Martha L. Rothman
    • Paul Savage
    • Jim Sefcik
    • Lewis Shepard
    • John Shuman
    • Jan Sidebotham
    • Toby Simon
    • Marc Strauss
    • George Swope
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    • John Thornley
    • Don Wilding
    • David Wright
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Dear friends old and new,
​

I’d like to thank you on behalf of The Open University of Wellfleet for helping us to achieve our most successful semester yet!  From the end of April to the end of May, we sponsored seven terrific courses and achieved an enrollment total of 125 participants in: 
  • History of the Long Point Gallery (with Grace Hopkins)
  • Cape Cod History (with Don Wilding)
  • Politics in Film and Fiction (with Linda B. Miller)
  • From Bauhaus to Cape Cod House (with Julie Mockabee)
  • Faulkner Goes to Hollywood (with John Dennis Anderson)
  • Fighting the Good Fight ( with Seth Rolbein)
  • Dickens’ Bleak House (with me, Rhoda Flaxman)
Our excellent course leaders presented informative lectures and led focused discussions. And along the way, we met new people and made new friends.

I want to share kudos with my excellent Board colleagues: Betsy, Jeanne, June, Grace, and Janet for their advice, support, and general good cheer!

We hope you’ll watch for our new course announcement, and JOIN US in the fall!

Best wishes,
Rhoda Flaxman

Founding Director

What Students Have Said About OUW Courses:
  • "Loved her passion, her great guests, and the film. I learned more than I expected from this excellent teacher"
  • "I particularly appreciated the open discussion in a risk-free environment and the inclusive ambiance."
  • "I enjoyed hearing the different perspectives from a high-level discussion."
  • "Our teacher created a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged comaraderie both in class and at the social time afterward. I appreciated the sense of the group her teaching built."
  • "The class achieved a perfect balance of mini-lecture and directed discussion, encouraging active engagement."
  • "Thanks! This was a terrific learning experience!"

News from Spring Semester 2017

  • Our classes have been enthusiastically received this semester. We’ve sponsored heavily-enrolled courses on Henry James, the history of the National Seashore,Cape Cod artists and modernist architecture,climate change and human rights, and the history of American racism.
  • Our Introduction to Cape Cod Modernist Architecture course hosted a brilliant talk by Friedrich St. Florian, former Dean of the Department of Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design
  • We organized a field trip to see modernist architecture in the Boston area, and a tour of local gems with Peter McMahon, founder of the Cape Cod Modern House Trust.
  • Members of our course on climate change and human rights have been invited to present their findings at the Wellfleet Council on Aging, date to be determined.
  • Our course on Henry James’ The Golden Bowl will sponsor a showing of the film version at the Wellfleet Library on November 21 from 2-4 p.m. All are invited.
  • Professor John Anderson will offer a Chautauqua presentation regarding Henry James in December, date, time, and location to be announced.
This is just a small sample of what we’ve been doing.

​We are always looking for experienced leaders with a passion for their subject that might interest our Cape Cod community. If you’d like to be involved, leave a message on the contact page of our website.
We’ll respond immediately!
© Open University of Wellfleet 2017 all rights reserved 
PO Box 711 South Wellfleet, MA 02663-0711


Scholarships available upon request

Web site design by: CynthiaFrankDesign
Photos by: Dr. Fred Kavalier, Grace Hopkins and Betsy Bray


The Open University of Wellfleet, MA a 501 c3,  aims to sustain and enrich intellectual life on the Outer Cape during the shoulder seasons. We offer courses to the public, for a modest fee, that celebrate the area's rich history and culture and draw on the talents and expertise of our residents. Our educational forum stresses collaborative learning, with lectures by instructors, directed discussions, readings and participant contributions. Our classes welcome participants from all over Cape Cod to some of Wellfleet's most charming and accessible locations.
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