State Treasurer Richard Moore last month presented Winston-Salem State University with a check in the amount of $584,652.
Along with the check, Moore brought news that put even more smiles on the faces of students and faculty: He assured Chancellor Harold Martin that students would receive more money in grants this year.
The check presented was the amount of money that WSSU students received in grants last year.
Moore is the administrator of the State Unclaimed Property funds. As administrator, he transfers the interest earnings of invested money in the Unclaimed Property Fund to the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. This was just part of the journey this grant money had to take. The SEAA then divides the money among the state’s public universities, colleges, and community colleges. The money helps students who would have to take out loans to pay for college.
Moore said he was just as happy to give the check to the university as students were to receive it.
“This is one of the best parts of my job. Not only do I give people their unclaimed property back, I also get to give the interest earnings to needy and worthy North Carolina college students,” said Moore.
Moore sent $36 million in interest earnings to the SEAA this year, the largest amount in state history.
The Unclaimed Property Program also includes abandoned money – such as bank accounts – that have been closed.