Off the Bluff is a project conducted by Duquesnes University’s Jounalism and Multimedia Arts Department. Each year, students get together as a class and produce this magazine. One of the conituing features of the magazine is a focused look at one of the many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.

Off the Bluff concentrated their efforts for theFall 2008 edition on our lovely neighborhood. Although the magazine has been finalized since last fall, only a few hard copies were distributed. Recently, the magazine has become available in downloadable pdf format from the Duquesnes University site.

In the Introduction, Emily Leone says —

Resilient and adaptable, Polish Hill is one neighborhood that has proven to be steadfast, with an everchanging landscape of faces and places. Despite its population decline, Polish Hill’s commitment to tradition and political importance caught Newsweek magazine’s attention, and a March 2008 article characterized the town’s residents as “a familiar Pittsburgh type … wry, forthright, steel-willed wives of hardworking, shotand-
beer men.”

Students from Dr. Michael Dillon’s Feature Writing class have successfully captured this very attitude. From community garden projects to traditional Polish meals carried down through generations, the following stories glow with entrancing narratives and colorful dialogues, the essence of this hilltop neighborhood.

A very apt introduction, yes? Please take the time to download the magazine. The stories are captivating and the illustrative photographs are top notch. Congratulations to all of the students involved in this project. Good luck to you in your future endeavors.