LUKE PARSNOW
B i o g r a p h y
Luke Parsnow is a copy editor and page designer at The Post-Star, a Pulitzer Prize-winning daily publication located in Glens Falls, New York. He is also a freelance blogger for The Syracuse New Times in Syracuse, New York. He is an award-winning 2015 graduate from the State University of New York at Oswego.
As a Creative Writer
Luke Parsnow has written seven novels and a collection of poems and short stories. In 2005 and 2006, he won the "Excellence In Writing" award for submissions to the central New York theatre group, Merry-Go-Round Play House. In 2007, he won the "Showcased Author" award, meaning his submission was included in the top 40 out of 4,000 pieces sent to them from Rochester area schools. As a creative writing student at the State University of New York at Oswego, he was published multiple times in The Great Lake Review in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He also served as a fiction editor for the magazine in 2012. As a senior, he was a teaching assistant for the introductory creative nonfiction writing class at the college. In 2014, he was awarded the Jean Hernon McDade '60 Award and Memorial Scholarship from SUNY Oswego's departments of English, Creative Writing, History, and Sociology. This is awarded to an Oswego student who demonstrates their commitment to their profession, their experiences working with children and/or adult learners and volunteer activities. In 2015, he won the Georgia Barnes Award and Scholarship. This award recognizes the Department of English and Creative Writing's strongest senior creative writing student.
As a Journalist
Three days into college, Luke Parsnow came upon the promoting table for SUNY Oswego's independent student newspaper, The Oswegonian, which in its past has won the prestigious Society for Professional Journalists award as the top weekly campus paper in the competitive Northeast region, and subsequently captured national runner-up honors. Luke's first story for the newspaper appeared on the front page, and he rose from Contributing Writer to Staff Writer in a matter of weeks. He was elected the Assistant News Editor of the newspaper his junior year and News Editor his senior year. In 2013 and 2014, he was published in the newspaper's semesterly sports magazine, The Play Maker. He has interned at The Legislative Gazette in Albany, New York, a newspaper covering New York State government and politics, earning an "honorary" grade. He also worked as an editorial intern for the SUNY Oswego Alumni Magazine and news intern for WRVO Public Media. He has had more than 100 news articles published in various publications and his work has been republished by publications such as The Democratic Underground, The Independent Political Report, Before It's News, Morning Ag Clips, and Lake News. His blog posts for the SUNY Oswego web page are among the most hit posts in the site's six-year history. In 2013, one of his stories was nominated for a SUNY Oswego School of Communications award in the category of "Best Investigative Story." Also in 2013, he was the youngest candidate nominated for the "Most Likely To Succeed In Journalism" award. In 2014, he won the School's "Best Feature Story" award and the Journalism Department's "Best News/Feature Package" award. He also won second place for the 2014 "Best News Writing Portfoilio" award, "Best Investigative Reporting" award, and "Best Spot News Reporting" award. In 2015, he won the journalism department's "Best News/Feature Package" award, "Best Investigative Reporting" award, "Best Environmental Reporting" award, "Best Sports Feature" award, "Best Newspaper Design" award, and second place for "Best News Writing Portfolio," "Best Opinion/Editorial Writing," "Best Feature Writing" and "Best Spot News Writing." In 2015, he also won the School of Communications, Media and the Arts' award for "Best Feature Story" for the second year in a row and the "2015 Most Likely to Succeed in Journalism" award. He has writing experience in politics, business, economics, education, health, sports, and environmental and social issus.
As a Musician
Music is arguably the reason that Luke Parsnow is even alive. His parents met at a bluegrass festival in New York State back in 1980. His parents are well known and well respected in the bluegrass community. Luke was raised on the music, a genre that is about the people just as much as the music. He began to learn mandolin at the age of 12, guitar at the age of 14, and bass at the age of 16. He also played the alto and baritone saxophone for nine years in the school band. He has also been experimenting with songwriting since he was young. He has recorded four albums in his bedroom, three of which feature him on all the instruments and vocals, the other featuring some guests. On all of them are at least two songs that he wrote. These songs have been heard from Canada to Florida, Montana, Wyoming, California, to London, England. From 2011 to 2015, he played with The Jesse Alexander Band and traveled with them from Plattsburgh, New York to State College, Pennsylvania, to Burlington, North Carolina, to Toledo, Ohio. They've been offered playing jobs in Georgia and on several cruises. From 2014 to 2015, he was a part of The Delaney Brothers as guitar player played throughout New York State and Canada with them. In 2012, Parsnow placed fourth in SUNY Oswego's campus-wide talent show and won second place in 2013.
