Bellevue College chemistry instructor Dan Mitchell has been ranked one of the top professors in the nation by the website RateMyProfessors.com. Out of 1.7 million professors rated, Mitchell made the list at number 16, alongside faculty at schools such as Boston University, University of Massachusetts, George Mason University and Indiana University.

He was the only professor from Washington state in the top 25 (complete list: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/toplists/topLists.jsp).

The website, founded in 1999, is a popular place for students to review their professors, with over 14 million student-generated comments and ratings for faculty at over 7,500 schools. The company used two criteria – clarity and helpfulness, calculated on a five-point scale – to determine its list of highest-rated professors. Reviews from several dozen students gave Mitchell, a resident of Newcastle, a near-perfect overall rating of 4.9.

“We’re especially proud of Dan and the tremendous work he does in the classroom, making chemistry come alive for our students,” said Interim President Laura Saunders. “This ranking is a perfect example of the strong emphasis we place on exceptional teaching here at Bellevue College.”

Mitchell, who earned a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Washington, has taught at BC since 2008. “I’m really honored that my students had such nice things to say in their reviews. I just try to treat them with respect and remember what it was like to be in their position, and work to motivate them and get the most out of them,” he said.