Dr. Joseph M. Sulock Economics Scholarship

Dr. Joseph Sulock, Professor Emeritus of Economics, impacted the lives of hundreds of UNC Asheville students and Asheville community members. Both Joe and his wife Dot were beloved professors who began working together at UNC Asheville in 1975 and retired together in 2016.

Dr. Sulock’s accomplishments and contributions to UNC Asheville are innumerable.  

• He published dozens of articles and published several texts on economic forecasting during his professional career.  
• He started one of UNC Asheville's annual events, the Crystal Ball Economic Seminar, bringing regional and national experts to UNC Asheville for a public seminar on business and economic forecasting. 
• Dr. Sulock also led the Free Tax Preparation Assistance program held annually on Saturdays during tax season at Pack Memorial Library for moderate and low income individuals and families in the greater Asheville area.

But perhaps one of Dr. Sulock’s greatest gifts was this ability to stay connected to so many—as a friend, a mentor, a colleague, a confidant, and even a father figure. His closest colleagues estimate that he taught over 5,000 students during his time at UNC Asheville and that he made it his personal mission to stay in contact with as many as he could, especially alumni of the economics program.

At Dr. Sulock's retirement, when questioned why he remained at UNC Asheville for more than 40 years, he replied “I never thought I was going to stay that long. And I had the opportunity to do something else, and I remember being on the plane and thinking, ‘what am I doing? This is stupid! I like it here, I like the kids, I like the area, I like the faculty, my colleagues.”

Dr. Sulock passed away on July 26, 2020. We are deeply saddened by this loss and he is dearly missed. 

To honor the impact that Dr. Sulock had on so many in the community, alumni and friends have come together to establish the Dr. Joseph M. Sulock Economics Scholarship, which supports economics students at UNC Asheville. 

During this season of giving back, help us endow Dr. Sulock's scholarship so that it can support students long into the future.

When you make a gift now through December 1, your gift will be counted as part of
Giving Tuesday, a celebration of caring for the next generation of Bulldogs
through scholarship support.