A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Judy C. Morelock earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology. During her time at the school, she became involved in activism, marching with black students in support of a black studies program. Judy C. Morelock also founded The Feminist Coalition, a pioneering women's rights organization. Judy C. Morelock went on to earn a PhD in sociology from Pennsylvania State University with a 4.0 grade point average.

Over the course of her career, she has taught thousands of students as a professor at institutions such as the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She also held the role of associate professor and head of the Department of Sociology at Knoxville College, a historically black college where she had the opportunity to teach more than 2,000 African-American students. During her service at Knoxville College, Judy C. Morelock won several awards, including an Outstanding Law Enforcement Award from the Tennessee Department of Corrections and a Meritorious Service Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).