Joseph M. Schuster

Joseph M. Schuster serves as Professor and Scriptwriting Program Facilitator at Webster University's School of Communications, Communications & Journalism Department on the St. Louis Main Campus. Having joined the faculty in 1985, he brings nearly four decades of academic experience to his role, during which he received the prestigious 2008 William T. Kemper Award for Excellence in Teaching. From 1999 to 2013, he provided leadership as chair of the Communications & Journalism Department.

Professor Schuster's research interests center on storytelling techniques across multiple mediums, with specialization in Contemporary American Fiction, Film Writing, Scriptwriting, and The Art of Story. His scholarly work intersects significantly with baseball literature, creating a unique niche that has garnered national recognition. His expertise extends beyond traditional academic boundaries into practical applications of narrative craft.

Schuster's scholarly contributions include his critically acclaimed novel The Might Have Been (Ballantine Books, 2012), which earned praise from The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus Reviews, and was a finalist for the CASEY Award. His additional publications include the nonfiction baseball work One Season in the Sun and approximately 600 articles, essays, and reviews appearing in publications ranging from Sport magazine and USA Today to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and St. Louis Magazine. His fiction has been featured in prestigious literary journals including Kenyon Review, Iowa Review, and Missouri Review.

• 2008 William T. Kemper Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Finalist, 2012 CASEY Award for Best Baseball Book
• St. Louis Post Dispatch's '50 Favorite Books of 2012'
• Reader's Digest 'editor's recommend' selection
• Kirkus Reviews starred review
• Two-time recognition in Best American Short Stories 'Distinguished Stories'

As an academic advisor and mentor, Professor Schuster has influenced numerous students through his teaching in scriptwriting and fiction. His research extends to baseball history, evidenced by his 2013 contributions to the Society of American Baseball Research's biography project and his work compiling a comprehensive chronology of Stan Musial's career for the St. Louis Cardinals' official yearbook. His interdisciplinary approach bridges creative writing with sports literature, creating a distinctive academic profile.