I try to put myself in the place of my students. For those considering becoming one of his many success stories, he has some advice. You have to be self-motivated about the learning, and that's even more important in a distance learning environment. Since it takes a strong interest in the subject matter, distance learners have an advantage because the studies are often directly related to their job. Often, distance learners apply their studies at work.
Employers can provide motivation to succeed and then reward that success.
Also important is perseverance. With all the distractions of life, it takes a lot of perseverance to stick with a class for a semester. Greivenkamp earned his Ph.D. from the UA Optical Sciences Center in 1980. Years later, when he became aware of the opportunity to teach at the University of Arizona, the decision was an easy one to make. Teaching is wonderful.