Behind Enemy Lines: Interviewing a JV who’s a Boothie!

By: Siddhaarth Sudhakaran, Staff Writer In 1977, journalist Robert MacNeil sat across from Fidel Castro in a moment of journalistic courage, perhaps even mild insanity—reaching across the aisle at the height of the Cold War. For this edition of The Kellogian, I have chosen to follow in MacNeil’s hallowed legacy by interviewing someone from our own ideological rival beyond our southern flanks. Yes, dear reader, I set forth beyond our blessed “Heavenston” to the land of spreadsheets, standard deviations, and stubborn rationality. I shall attempt to paint a picture of Thomas Reinhart, a proud Booth student and the partner of our very own Kelloggian, Julia Schwieterman MBAi ‘26. I logged into our Zoom call wearing my Kellogg cap and Northwestern T-shirt, to establish dominance. Then, the screen came alive and there he was: blond, confident, draped in Booth maroon. My attempt at intimidation had been met—and matched. Touché.

From Rows of Corn to Rows in Excel 

Two rivalry schools, one happy couple

“I’m from Indianapolis,” Thomas beamed. “Though I grew up in the suburbs, my family has agricultural roots. My grandpa was a farmer, and so were some of my uncles. I did a bit of farming when I was a kid.” That instinct to tinker became his compass. “Mechanical Engineering at Purdue was a natural choice,” he said. His first stop after graduation was Allison Transmission, where he worked on automation lines.

He’s been a Chicagoan for two years now, and about a year ago, he added Booth’s part-time MBA program to his resume. The choice, he says, was both practical and personal: a downtown campus, proximity to work, and importantly, flexibility. He emphasized the fact that he only has three core classes as part of his 20 required credits and the program’s stellar classes in operations and supply chain management. I asked whether he had considered Kellogg during his application process. Perhaps I misheard, but I could’ve sworn he replied, “Oh, Kellogg’s?” The apostrophe-s cut deep. Subtle. Calculated. Booth.

Two MBAs, One Household

He recounted how he and Julia went through the business school application process together, trading drafts and pep talks when existential dread hit, in equal measure. “We helped each other a lot,” he said. Then, with a hint of pride, he added, “I started my application first.” From somewhere off-screen came Julia’s groan of protest.

He now works 9 to 5 p.m., then attends classes at the downtown campus from 6 to 9 p.m., twice a week. When I ask about the differences between his part-time Booth experience and Julia’s full-time life at Kellogg, he doesn’t hesitate. “She definitely gets more of the outside-the-classroom stuff,” he said. “More clubs, more dinners, more… chances to mingle with friends” He grins as he says it, which I interpret as the look of a man who knows the Harper Center will never compare to our glorious Hub.

As for the academics? He believes that classes are largely equivalent at both schools, though he quips: “Booth does finance well; Kellogg does marketing really well.” Adding with a grin that Julia occasionally asks him for help with the former.

Faith, Football, and the Limits of Rationality

As an international student, I had long made peace with the fact that most Americans don’t follow football (what the Yankee heathens insist on calling soccer) with the same devotion the rest of the world does. So imagine my surprise when Thomas not only follows the English Premier League but supports Crystal Palace, one of the more obscure clubs in the mix. When I asked him about it, he didn’t miss a beat. “They’re the best team in England,” he said with absolute conviction. “We won the FA Cup, [and] beat Liverpool in the Community Shield. What more proof do you need?” Clearly Booth’s reputation for rationality doesn’t seem to be universally applicable.

On pressing further, he explains that what first drew him to Crystal Palace was the idea of the underdog finally breaking through. “In American sports, the worst teams eventually rise. That’s kind of the dream, right?” he said. The season he started following Palace, they were promoted back to the Premier League, and he thought it would be their inflection point. He smiled ruefully. “It wasn’t.” I asked if he simply had a soft spot for perennial underdogs in hopes of a promised redemption that never occurs (Purely hypothetically, of course his choice of business school.) He shot me a slow, vengeful glance. (P.S. I didn’t reveal that I support Manchester United. My heart couldn’t take another man questioning my life choices.) The Kelloggian Who Stole a Boothie’s Heart

Julia, Kellogg MBAi '26 (left) with Thomas, JV / Booth Evening (right)

Ask him how he met Julia, and the Boothie turns into a shy pookie. “Our lives intertwined at the Neon Cactus,” he says. “It’s nightclub frequented by Purdue’s undergrads. We had mutual friends and eventually just felt pulled to each other.” Six years later, they’re engaged, the proposal happening in New York over the summer, and their wedding set for next August. Through long distance, job changes, and now dual MBAs, their love for each other has only deepened.

What’s their secret? He shrugs. “You’ve got to carve out time for each other. We’re both extremely busy and the pressures of pursuing an MBA, moving cities, [and] new routines can pile up. But we always have ensured that we make space and time for ourselves.”

You Can Take the Boy Out of Indiana…

Thomas is the youngest of five, something he says taught him lessons early. “I loved having four older brothers and sisters to look up to. And, you know, sometimes learn what not to do,” he laughed. “They bullied me a bit, but it taught me toughness at a young age.”

He still loves traveling back home to Indianapolis where family traditions run deep. “We’re a cute Purdue family,” he said. “We get together for football and basketball games whenever we can.” His voice softened as he added, “My sister just had a baby about a year ago! It’s been really special to see the family grow.”

A Boothie in Kellogg’s Court

Despite his Booth allegiance, Thomas speaks fondly of his time among the Kellogg crowd. “I really love the MBAi bunch,” he said. “They’re a great group.” He still laughs about the retreat they went on last year, and his face lights up when he recalls this summer’s trip to Orcas Island. “The ferry rides to and from the island were amazing,” he said. “It was such a relaxing weekend, just hanging out together as a group.”

He admits there are a few Kellogg traditions that still puzzle him. “The whole JV thing gives me a kick,” he said. “It’s a cute way of saying ‘partner,’ even if it felt weird at first.” Then he laughed. “But the baby-birding thing? Still can’t wrap my head around that.”  Fair enough. Some Kellogg traditions are best experienced, not explained.

Concluding Thoughts

As interviews go, it wasn’t quite MacNeil meeting Castro but for a Kelloggian who bleeds purple, it came close. Thomas was charming, thoughtful, and just Booth enough to keep me on my toes. We ended the interviews with our loyalties intact and perhaps a grudging respect for the enemy. Read More About Kellogg JVs: John Gilmore (JV)