News from CLASS

Lifelong Learner Among Fall 2019 Graduating Class

The definition of a lifelong learner is someone who actively seeks opportunities to grow and believes it’s never too late to start something. That sums up Curtis Mooney. And at 72, Mooney will graduate from the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences with his second Ph.D. — a doctorate in American history with a concentration in health care. Mooney's first doctorate, a Ph.D. in social work, came from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Center for Arab Studies Director Receives National Education Award

The University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) congratulates Center for Arab Studies Director and AAEF Chair in Modern Arab History Abdel Razzaq Takriti, who received the 2019 Undergraduate Education Award from the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA). Along with his co-author, University of Oxford professor Karma Nabulsi, Takriti was recognized for his outstanding work in helping fellow Middle East scholars and educators master the craft of teaching undergraduate students.

Distress Tolerance Plays Role in Alcohol Use and Abuse Among Firefighters

New findings by a University of Houston psychology professor indicate that among firefighters, distress tolerance amplifies associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use severity. In the world of psychology, distress tolerance is your actual or perceived ability to withstand emotional distress. It is surviving – and knowing you can survive - an emotional incident.