IWU OCLS Blog

Jessica O'Neal OCLS Team Spotlight

September OCLS Team Spotlight

Jessica O'Neal - OCLS Assistant

Jessi, who currently serves as the OCLS Assistant and ILL liaison, has been with OCLS for eight years. She started out working part-time at the OCLS home office and worked her way up to Assistant 2 a year later. She has been in her current position since July 2015.

Jessi's primary responsibilities are to process Interlibrary Loan (ILL) requests for books and articles, but she also answers incoming emails and phone calls. Jessi also makes sure that IWU N&G students, staff, and faculty get books they request via mail from Jackson Library. 

Jessi earned a bachelor's degree in biology from IWU and, at one time, considered a career in forensics, but life got in the way.

She is our resident crime fiction and sci-fi author with two published series. She uses the information she learned earning her biology degree and on-going research of her own to write a crime fiction series, with crime scene tech characters through whom she lives vicariously! Her Riverdale PD Series has three books, the fourth book is in the works, with many more planned for the series. Her Stell-Ore War series is a two-part sci-fi series. She also writes in other genres, including horror, fantasy, adventure, and historical fiction, all with a Christian worldview. 

She is also a co-founder of The Thistle Club, a Christian writers group, with our very own Mary Beth Dolmanet, OCLS Office Manager.

When Jessi isn't working or writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, playing video games, watching movies and TV series, and hanging out with her six cats and one dog. She jokingly adds,

I have a dog to help avoid the crazy cat lady label! Oh, and she’s a great watchdog and companion, too. 

She is the youngest of three siblings and has a huge extended family. Her dad is one of 10 siblings and 15 half-siblings, and her mom is one of 7 siblings. She admits that she honestly doesn't know the names of most of her cousins. 

A few of her favorite Bible verses are Philippians 4:4-9 and Psalm 91:11. 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4:4-9) 

For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11)

Jessi commented that all of these scriptures serve as a reminder that if she trusts God and keeps her focus on Him and His Word, He will show her the right path and provide what is needed to fulfill the calling on her life. She voices this calling by borrowing her church's motto to love God, love others, and serve the world. She hopes that she is fulfilling this through her work at OCLS, and in the self-described sneaky ministry, she slips into her writing. 

Comments from the OCLS Team: 

Jessi is a joy to be around.  She is one of those people who you can hear smile though the phone. 

Jessi is a very accomplished writer and one of OCLS’s best informal researchers. Her interests in forensics and detection inspire and frighten me at the same time.

I am thankful for Jessi’s care and concern for the OCLS team. She is always willing to lend a hand, rearrange her work schedule, and go the second and third mile for students, staff, and faculty.

Jessi is a real joy to work with. Her ready laugh and easy demeanor with our students makes her a real asset to OCLS. 

Jessi is a 5-time independently published author with more books in the works. The next time you’re in the mood for a good police procedural, or sci fi, novel look up J.I. O’Neal.