David B. Schock, Ph.D.

Professor David Schock, Photo by Dan Irving
Professor David Schock, Photo by Dan Irving

David B. Schock, Ph.D., is an award-winning film producer. His work includes the poetry films Star by Star: Naomi Long Madgett, Poet and Publisher, a film about the life and career of Detroit’s Poet Laureate, Naomi Long Madgett and Jump Back, Honey: The Poetry and Performance of Herbert Woodward Martin, a documentary about a poet who has—as part of his career—championed the poetry, plays and fiction of Paul Laurence Dunbar. His most recent poetry film chronicles the life of one of the co-founders of Cave Canem: Strong Words: The Art of Toi Derricotte. Schock also produced and directed First Class (2009), a film based on the reading of a one-man play by David Wagoner about Saginaw poet Theodore Roethke. Schock also works to tell the story of cold cases. His murder films include Who Killed Janet Chandler?, Jack in the Box, Finding Diane, Into the Dark: the Murder of Shannon Marie Siders, Death of a Phoenix: The Eastown Murder of Joel Battaglia, and Heritage Hill Bride: The Murder of Shlley Speet Mills. His murder work can be viewed at the website http://www.delayedjustice.com. He also has made films about integrity issues at the Michigan Supreme Court and also a film about the Ku Klux Klan. He is the recipient of four Michigan Humanities Council awards recognizing his films, including for his latest film, The Road to Andersonville: Michigan Native American Sharpshooters in the Civil War, the story of those who fought in Company K of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters during the Civil War. He also is the author of a ‘Tweener novel, The Dragon and the Rose, and numerous short stories.

He holds a B.A. in religion from Albion College (where he spent his junior year studying abroad at The American University in Beirut), an M.A. in journalism from Central Michigan University, and a Ph.D. from International College (now defunct) in literary criticism and creative writing. His dissertation and project of demonstrated excellence dealt with the theses of Rudolph Otto in his The Idea of the Holy (Das Heilige). He earned his doctorate under the tutelage of Dr. Russell Kirk. Schock is a former newspaper reporter, editor, radio producer and reporter, television reporter, and academic. He has taught at Central Michigan University (1984-1991) and at Hope College, in Holland, Michigan (1994-2006). You can reach him here: schock@charter.net.