 While he was a university student, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity (Beta Tau Chapter), the editor of the "Silver Spruce" yearbook, freshman class president, student body president, and the winner of the Rocky Mountain Oratory Award.Reitz received his bachelor's degree in 1930.After graduating with a bachelor of science degree, Reitz started work as an agricultural extension economist, first at Colorado State, and then at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his master of science degree in 1935.