Over the last three decades, William “Bill” Loftus spent his career working as a journalist for daily newspapers and a science writer and educator for universities. Now, he uses his unique combination of journalism expertise and real-world experience to teach writing skills to students.
Much of Loftus’ journalism experience came from the 16 years he spent leading the outdoor and environmental news for the Lewiston Tribune. During this time, the section was judged “Best in the Nation” seven times by the Outdoor Writers Association of America. It is thanks to his work as a journalist, Loftus said, that he knows the importance of the writing standards he teaches in his Writing in Communication class.
Loftus also worked as a science writer for 19 years at the University of Idaho, where he specialized in biotechnology, environment science, and life sciences. Possibly the most notable piece Loftus worked on for the University of Idaho, he said, was an announcement of the first equine clone, which won an outstanding professional skill award from the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences.
Throughout his career, he also worked on a team that won C.B. Blethen Memorial Award for enterprise reporting, and he had his writing featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times and The Associated Press. He holds various other awards from the Utah-Idaho-Spokane Associated Press Association, the Association for Communication Excellence, the Idaho Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Idaho Wildlife Federation.
Loftus’ love for the outdoors continues outside of the professional world, he said, and he enjoys spending his time off engaging in outdoor pursuits with his family.
Bio authored by Cadee Christian, Class of 2018