Tim Pantages cures the hangover of alcohol and drug misinformation

Tim Pantages, a health instructor, helps students learn about drugs and alcohol. He has been a part of the Clackamas Community College family for more than 25 years. Among the health classes he teaches are Body & Drugs, Mental Health and Body & Alcohol.

Student Hillary Cochran said, “Tim’s classes are awesome and I always look forward to going. He is an amazing teacher.”

Dylan Borlind said, “Tim makes learning easy and I remember everything he teaches me.”

Elaine Olson said Pantages is the “coolest teacher I have ever had. If you don’t take one or all five of his classes, you are missing out on a great experience here at Clackamas Community College.” Pantages started out in the field of addiction as a counselor and worked his way to clinical supervisor. Eventually he became a program director, amassing 15 years in the field.

Pantages moved to Oregon to do his undergraduate studies in the 1970s at Reed College. After graduation he went to what is now known as OHSU but back then it was the University of Oregon Medical School. After graduation he worked in a public treatment program.

“Back then the councilors were people who were recovered addicts, and not formerly educated in the field,” Pantages said.

Pantages came to CCC as an administrator to oversee a grant. The position was phased out eventually, so he switched over to teaching.

The drug and the mental health classes were taught by a part-time teacher who got a full-time position elsewhere. Pantages took over those classes in the second week of the term and from there he took over full-time.

Since then he has added more classes to the drugrelated topics. He still teaches about mental health but Body & Alcohol, Body & Drugs I and Body & Drugs II are almost always filled to capacity.