On 14 October, 2000 people attend the dedication of Pacific Lutheran University.

The band plays, and the choir sings Mozart's Gloria in Excelsis. The Rt. Rev. Bjug Harstad gives the prayer and opening address in English. The Rev. J. Tingelstad presents an English oration and the Rt. Rev. V. Koren delivers an oration and the dedication address in Norwegian. Everyone sings "A Mighty Fortress is our God" in Norwegian and English, then the Rev. T. Larsen offers the final prayer and benediction.

The school opens for classes on 25 October with 30 students. Tuition costs $1 per week. Rev. Harstad becomes the first president of the university.

The first faculty consists of Meyer Brandvig, Sophie Peterson, W. Shahan, and Rev. Carlo Sperati. Also pictured: Mrs. Sperati, Rev. Ballestad, T.C. Satra, Rev. T. Larson, Rev. N. Christiansen, President Harstad.

The Concert Band, led by music professor Carlo Sperati, climbs to Camp Muir at the 10,000 foot level of Mount Rainier and plays "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."

Attempting to eliminate the debt plaguing the university, Bjug Harstad and Otis Larson leave for Alaska to search for gold. They spend one and one half years living in tents in subzero weather, dragging 3,000 pounds of gear by sleigh, pack, and handmade boat through lakes and passes looking for gold. However, none is found.

The only legacy of the Alaska trip is a rack of moose horns given to PLA by a Dr. Lee of La Crosse, Wisconsin, who shot the moose by the Klondike River. The moose horns have a spread of over 5 feet with 14 points and are still housed at PLU.

Nils Joseph Hong becomes the school's third president when Harstad leaves for Alaska and serves from 1898 to 1918, after which he remains a professor until his retirement in 1938, teaching at least 12 subjects, primarily literature, languages, and grammar.

The institutional name changes to Pacific Lutheran Academy and Business College.

The first class graduates in June with two students: Ettie Kraabel and Amanda Swan.

The graduation consists of music by the band, orchestra, and glee club, a piano duet, and orations by the two graduates.

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