The institution that eventually became William Peace University was founded in 1872 as Peace Institute by a group of men within the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina. The leading donation of $10,000 USD ($254 thousand in 2016 terms) came from William Peace, a prominent local merchant and a founding member of the First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh. Peace was a member of the second class of the University of North Carolina (class of 1800), and a longtime proponent of education as a benefactor of Raleigh Academy, a school primarily for boys. Peace offers majors in the following areas:anthropology, biology, business administration, communication, criminal justice, education, English, liberal studies, BFA: Musical Theatre, theatre, politics and public affairs, and psychology.