On May 3, 1917, Alaska Territorial Gov. John Strong signed the bill to create the institution now known as the University of Alaska (UAF). The institution was initially named the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines before later becoming the UAF. The institution was established 42 years before Alaska became a state. In 1922, with completion of the Main Building, the college opened its doors to students. On opening day, a faculty of seven (including President Charles Bunnell) offered 16 classes to a student body of six, although the student total grew to 15 by the end of the academic year. Commencement in 1923 consisted of a single graduate.

The institution quickly began to grow. In 1931, the federal government transferred the entire Agricultural Experiment Station to the college. In 1935, the Alaska Territorial Legislature changed the institution’s name to the University of Alaska to reflect the school’s expanding role in research, teaching and public service. By then, faculty and course offerings had grown to include a range of liberal arts, science and engineering. Mining engineering became the dominant field of study by the late 1930s as students sought employment in the local industrial-scale gold dredging operations and other Alaska operations.