Alumni Interview with Harrison Klopp '18: A Passion for Storytelling

Harrison Klopp is a "Breck Lifer" in the truest sense. After spending fifteen years on campus, from preschool through his 2018 graduation, Harrison took his passion for storytelling across the country. From covering boxing in Las Vegas to local reporting in Memphis, his journey has finally brought him back to where it all began: the Twin Cities. We sat down with Harrison to discuss his career, the teachers who shaped him, and his optimal strategy for the Tour de Breck.

Alumni Office (AO): Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you have been doing since leaving Breck?

Harrison Klopp: I graduated in 2018 after attending Breck for two years of preschool, kindergarten, and all 12 grades. After Breck, I went to Arizona State to study journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. I had an unbelievable four years there. Since graduating, I have been all over the country. I covered boxing in Las Vegas for a year, then moved to Morgantown, West Virginia, to work as a sports anchor for the CBS station, primarily covering the West Virginia University Mountaineers. Most recently, I spent ten months in Memphis switching from sports to news, primarily covering crime. But I got an unexpected opportunity to come back home to KSTP a few months ago, and it has been awesome. There is nothing like covering the communities you grew up in.

AO: You've done the reporting on local news, and you have covered sports and boxing. How have those different experiences helped shape the way you approach your work today, and how do you find motivation each day?

Harrison: I think the different experiences have made me a better and more unique broadcaster. I think one of the things a person takes away from a Breck education is the importance of learning as many different things as you can so you become well-rounded for whatever comes next. Yesterday, I was in Anoka covering property tax, and today I was in downtown St. Paul covering a shooting. Each day is different, and I think I’m really lucky to do this job. I love the variety, meeting people, and telling their stories. 

AO: What sparked your interest in news and journalism originally?

Harrison: It started during the May Program when I was a junior. My friend Blaine Madson and I wanted to do a sports talk show. We went to Chris Ohm, and he suggested we start a podcast. We recorded it in the history wing of the upper school. The early episodes of “The Klopp Show” were horrible (I might have to scrub those off the internet), but we kept getting better. My mom has worked in television broadcasting in Minneapolis for over thirty years. She heard an episode and told me it was still pretty bad, but that I might have something there if I kept working. That opened the door to thinking about this as a career.

AO: If you could sit down with any news anchor, excluding family, who would it be?

Harrison: That is a tough one because I have worked in both sports and news. In sports, Al Michaels or Bill Simmons. In the news, Wolf Blitzer or Scott Pelley. 

AO: Are there any specific Breck faculty members who impacted your journey?

Harrison: We could be here all day. Mrs. Rogers in preschool was amazing. Carey Sirianni helped me learn to organize my days, which is a skill I still use. Les Larson was the best coach I ever had. But the two biggest influences were Chris Ohm and Johnny Nicholson. Chris showed me that a career in media was a possibility. P.S., that guy is a great football commentator, and Johnny helped me navigate the college process and find Arizona State University. That was one of the best decisions I ever made.

AO: Okay, Harrison. Tour de Breck is coming up on May 28. I saw your name on the big trophy. What advice do you have for this year's participants?

Harrison: My friends and I still talk about that race all these years later. It is incredibly competitive. To win, you need two things. First, find a great faculty member. We had Mr. Lampe, and we would not have won without him. Second, you have to be ruthless. Those people are your classmates all year, but during that race, you do whatever it takes to win. 

AO: Any final thoughts on your time at Breck?

Harrison: Breck was such a big part of my life. The friends I made in preschool and kindergarten are still my very best friends today. It is an awesome community. Go Mustangs. I hope to see the boys' hockey team back in the state tournament soon.