Tom Steman, University Archivist and Professor at St. Cloud State University, selected this color slide of the actor Leonard Nimoy visiting St. Cloud State from their collection in MDL:

Leonard Nimoy and Brenton Steele at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, May 1974

On May 20, 1974, actor Leonard Nimoy visited St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Best known as Star Trek’s Mr. Spock character, Nimoy gave a lecture at Halenbeck Hall entitled “Star Trek Adventures”.

The lecture was sponsored by the student-led Major Events Council. Here students, in partnership with St. Cloud State employees, organized events by “famous” visitors. Nimoy is pictured with Brenton Steele, who was director of student activities and programming at St. Cloud State. When the image was later shared with the community on social media, commenters believed this image was taken outside of a hotel near Highway 10 in east St. Cloud.

With an article about the lecture, two images of Nimoy’s visit appeared in the May 24, 1974, edition of the campus student newspaper The Chronicle – but are absent in University Archives. This is the only image, besides those that appeared in print, of Nimoy’s visit to St. Cloud State.

Particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, St. Cloud State hosted many “famous” visitors, including politicians, Hollywood personalities, journalists, athletes, literary figures, and musicians. The purpose of these visitors was to entertain, educate, and inform the campus community – and who may not have a reason to visit central Minnesota. In addition, it exposed St. Cloud State to different viewpoints from people they may not have encountered otherwise.

It is one of my favorite items because it is Leonard Nimoy. An actor of his stature who comes to central Minnesota to visit St. Cloud State is a big deal. It just an example of “famous” visitors interacting with the campus community and beyond.

The image was discovered through a project to organize and make accessible thousands of unorganized color slides. Since images always have high value, I tackled the slides project so users could actually use them. I found this single slide and knew exactly it was from Nimoy’s May 1974 visit to St. Cloud State.

Nimoy’s visit is not the only Star Trek connection to St. Cloud State. Late St. Cloud State faculty member Bruce Hyde played Kevin Riley in two memorable episodes in the first season of the original Star Trek series.

St. Cloud State plays many roles in Minnesota. The primary mission is to educate students in the classroom and in the field. Yet it also educates the campus community by exposing and learning from each other of different cultures, values, and viewpoints. Where else could you see Leonard Nimoy and others like him come to campus to discuss pop culture, Hollywood, and science? And not just from a faculty member but someone with a different background, circumstances, and life experience?

The St. Cloud State University Archives maintains the corporate memory of St. Cloud State University by preserving and using records and publications of long-term value. Archival material documents the University's development and serves as a convenient source of reliable information about SCSU's programs, people, policies, and property. Materials available touch on a variety of mostly St. Cloud State topics: presidents, athletics, events, students, and buildings. Other material includes promotional videos, World War II veterans oral histories, and film of football games and other campus activity.

Browse the St. Cloud State University Archives collection in MDL.

Learn more about this exhibit and the other contributor's choice exhibits using the links below.