15k shares SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL — an mtvU operated professor ranking site with more than 14 million ratings, 1.3 million professors and 7,000 schools– has released its new ranking of the highest rated professors across the country. The rankings included top professor of the year, “hottest” professor of the year and other various titles for universities and community colleges. According to a press release from mtvU, the Rate My Professors site “uses a five-point Likert scale as well as a binary scoring system for students to rate professors.” Leading the pack of the top professors of the year is , an adjunct instructor at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Fla. Fitzsimmons, who has been teaching developmental mathematics at IRSC for seven years, says that she was “shocked” by the recognition. “I am humbled and overwhelmed with this distinction,” Fitzsimmons told USA TODAY College. (Photo courtesy Indian River State College) “I am humbled and overwhelmed with thisdistinction,” Fitzsimmons told USA TODAY College. Students have praised Fitzsimmons on Rate My Professors, stating that her teaching methods have been “clear” and that she “cares a lot for her students.” “I do review the comments,” says Fitzsimmons. “Along with the student course evaluations at IRSC, these comments provide me valuable input to continuously improve my teaching.” By paying attention to the feedback that students give her, Fitzsimmons has managed to create a desirable learning environment for her students which has resulted in her classes filling up quickly. She believes this is due to “word of mouth from former students because of the successes they have achieved.” “My favorite part about teaching is ‘seeing the light bulb go on’ and watching my students succeed,” says Fitzsimmons. “For many of my students, success in mathematics has seemed to be an unreachable goal. When they realize they can attain that goal, it gives them the confidence to face any challenges thecollege would present.” Also reaching the top of a Rate My Professors ranking is Professor , who took the title of hottest professor for the third consecutive year. Daniel, who has taught psychology at James Madison University for six years, has received rave reviews on the site praising his personality and sense of humor. “I’m not surprised, I have a mirror,” says Daniel about winning for the third time. Photo by David Daniel Daniel — who says he truly likes JMU because of the way his students rank him on Rate My Professor — also enjoys teaching college-aged students because of their willingness to learn. “I really like working with students that age, where they’re really trying to figure out how they want to connect to the world and build themselves up as adults,” says Daniel. “They’re finally able to do what they aspire to as opposed to what they’re told to.” Though his humor may be what students find most attractive about Daniel, he says he uses it carefully in the classroom. “Ihave to try to not use humor as much as I’m thinking it or I’ll get in trouble,” says Daniel. “When I use humor, it has to make what I’m trying to teach pop, make it come alive without being distracting.” The funny man says he may retire soon because “there’s other slightly less attractive people in the world who deserve the recognition more.” He advises the use of Axe Body Spray for anybody looking to win next year’s hottest professor title. The 2014 Rate My Professors rankings also included a list of the top 25 universities, top 25 junior and community colleges and top 25 professors at junior and community colleges. Top 25 University Professors 1. Pat Fitzsimmons, Mathematics, Indian River State College (FL) 2. Chad J Kuyper, Speech, Florida State College at Jacksonville 3. Monessa Cummins, Classics, Grinnell College (IA) 4. David Cook, Art, Georgia Gwinnett College 5. Kenneth Anderson, Music, University of California San Diego 6. Devon Hanahan, Spanish, College of Charleston 7.Judson Everitt, Sociology, Loyola University Chicago 8. Douglas Klutz, Criminal Justice, University of Alabama 9. Christopher Atwater, Management, George Mason University (VA) 10. Jerry West, Mathematics, University of Arkansas Ft. Smith 11. Karen Dodson, English, University of North Georgia-Gainsville 12. Rosalind Hall, Music, Bringham Young University (UT) 13. James Brenner, Health Science, Westchester University of Pennsylvania 14. John Ryan, Communication, San Francisco State University 15. Barb Childers, Education, Bowling Green State University (OH) 16. George Jucha, Computer Science, University of Pittsburgh 17. Eric Schuchardt, Political Science, Southeast Missouri State University 18. Fran Iacobellis, Nursing, Long Island University 19. Scooter Pegram, Languages, Indiana University Northwest 20. Laura Pence, Chemistry, University of Hartford 21. Brian Redondo, Psychology, Rowan University (NJ) 22. James Stroud, Education, Ball State University (IN) 23. Kelly Champagne,Mathematics, Nicholls State University (LA) 24. Rawlslyn Francis, English, Florida State College at Jacksonville 25. Bonnie MacKey, Education, University of Houston – Clear Lake Top 25 Professors at Junior and Community Colleges 1. Melinda Shoemaker, Behavioral Sciences, Broward College (all campuses) (FL) 2. Joseph Maestas, Physical Education, Tarrant County College (all campuses) (TX) 3. Charlie Meehan, English, Miami Dade College (all campuses) 4. Tim Ratliff, Communication, College of Dupage (IL) 5. David Breed, Mathematics, Edmonds Community College (WA) 6. Pamela Egan-Mason, Strategies For Success, Palm Beach State College (all campuses) 7. Sameer Gavankar, Kinesiology, Santa Monica College 8. Julia Dickinson, Psychology, Ohlone College (CA) 9. Carl Seward, Mathematics, Tidewater Community College (VA) 10. Eugene Hliebay, Law, Macomb Community College (all campuses) (MI) 11. Bie Han Tan, Mathematics, City College of San Francisco 12. Abigail Kennedy, Biology, Lone Star College(all campuses) (TX) 13. Sara Elabed-Tolosa, English as a Second Language, Passaic County Community College (NJ) 14. Carol Groseclose, Health Science, Miami Dade College (all campuses) 15. Sam Blank, Communication, Borough of Manhattan Community College 16. Lou Ann Gibson, Child Development, San Diego Messa College 17. Michael Woodrow, Criminal Justice, Brookdale Community College (NJ) 18. Raeann Sue Hansen, Mathematics, Salt Lake Community College 19. Lee Gonshor, Biology, Gulf Coast State College 20. Alicia Mendiola, Child and Family Studies, East Los Angeles College 21. Kimberly Myers, Mathematics, St. Petersburg College (all campuses) 22. Mirtha Ansoleaga, Business, Miami Dade College (all campuses) 23. Sharon Lowe, History, Truckee Meadows Community College (NV) 24. Nancy Barbara, Communication, Hillsborough Community College (all campuses) (FL) 25. Amie Dunstan, Psychology, Lorain County Community College (OH) Top 10 Hottest Professors 1. David Daniel, Psychology, James MadisonUniversity (VA) 2. Paul Evans, Biology, Brigham Young University (UT) 3. Ruth Dellinger, Mathematics, Florida State College at Jacksonville 4. Thomas Beard, Economics, Auburn University (AL) 5. Barbara Kalvelage, Biology, University of Southern Indiana 6. Daniel Norton, Communications, Seattle Central College 7. Corey Manchester, Mathematics & Statistics, San Diego State University 8. Adrienne Alaie, Biology, Hunter College (NY) 9. Marsha Lindsay, Humanities, Lone Star College (all) (TX) 10. Dana Cantu, English, South Texas College (all) works for USA TODAY College while studying journalism at University of Maryland. Follow her on Twitter . , , , , , , 15k shares SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL Related Stories Comments