He received a B.A. in electrical engineering from SUNY - Buffalo in 1967, and a Master's in the same discipline from Northeastern University in 1969. Jarvis joined the Air Force the same year and served until 1973, being discharged as a Captain. Thereafter he worked for Hughes Aircraft, and was selected as a payload specialist in July, 1984. SUNY at Buffalo now has a building, Jarvis Hall, named after him, which is devoted largely to engineering support services - see this page.