Meet Jessica Cole, a reference librarian who is using what she learned from her undergraduate and graduate studies in OSU’s School of History, Philosophy and Religion
What kick-started your interest in history as a child or young adult?
I was born and raised as a small child in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When I was 8, our family moved to a small rural town in southern Oregon called Glendale. After we moved, I felt cut off from my extended family, and the loss was heightened after my grandpa and great-grandma died before I could see them again.
My grandpa was very proud of his Irish heritage, and as a teen I started to delve into genealogy to honor him. Over time, genealogy became a passion of mine. Although I didn’t realize it for over a decade, I came to realize that a large portion of my interest in genealogy stemmed from a love of history. I enjoyed combing through archives, discovering new clues during research, and writing stories of the past.
This realization is what inspired me to pursue an online history degree.
What attracted you to the College of Liberal Arts’ online history degree program with Ecampus?
Although I attended college fresh out of high school, I took a break to focus on raising a family. When I decided to go back to school, my schedule was extremely limited due to taking/picking up kids from school and various extracurricular activities. I was drawn towards Ecampus because it let me determine my own timeframe concerning classes.
I was able to work on assignments when I wanted, which was usually late at night after the kids were in bed, or in the car while I waited in the school pick-up line. Without this freedom, there is no way that I could have committed to going to school full time.
Did you have any favorite classes, professors, or experiences while part of the undergraduate program?
My favorite classes were History of Medicine (HSTS 417), which was initially quite a surprise to me. I took the first class simply as a credit-filler and was not looking forward to it in any way. The professor, Dr. Linda Richards, made the class intriguing — to the point where I was looking forward to the next class.
She also really made a point to engage with students, and it was a direct result of her encouragement that I decided to pursue my master’s at OSU. I ended up asking Dr. Richards to be on my graduate thesis committee, and she brought with her the same boost of passion and positivity that she had to her classes and was just such an overall support during the process.
What motivated you to go for CLA’s online master’s program in history?
OSU did not offer a graduate program in history when I first decided I wanted to pursue my master’s, so I was actually looking into other colleges as I finished up my undergraduate. Then a few professors including Dr. Richards mentioned that I would be a good fit for OSU’s possible new graduate online history degree program.
Dr. Nicole von Germeten, who was the director of the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion at the time, kept me apprised of the program’s development and strongly encouraged me to consider applying. I figured I had such a strong support system with her and Dr. Richards that there was no need to look any further at other colleges!
What is your current occupation?
I am the reference librarian for Elko’s Mybrary, a bi-county library system with eight branches in northeastern Nevada. While being a librarian was originally not on my list of potential careers, I was intrigued by the job description as it included improving the library system’s role as a local history resource. (I did have to agree to return to school to qualify for this position and am now attending the University of Idaho in order to obtain a Public Librarian Certification.)
My favorite part of being a reference librarian is fulfilling obscure historical queries for patrons — the more investigation required, the better! Besides obvious duties that come with the role of a reference librarian (mainly assisting patrons), I have spent the last year digitally preserving items of historical significance found within the library archives, along with researching people, places, and events of local interest. My end goal is to create an online database with these records so that people can easily access and discover history pertaining to the region on their own.
When I finished graduate school, I knew I wanted to be a public historian. While I had initially thought I would end up working at a museum or historical society, I have discovered that there are other positions (e.g., a reference librarian) that can influence an interest of the past within the community they serve. Besides research/archival work related to the database, I strive to find other ways to intrigue locals concerning their area’s past.
One program I am really looking forward to initiating is a guided historical cemetery tour, which will focus on both the notorious historical characters of Elko, as well as the lesser-known individuals. I think it is important when presenting public history to not only represent the prestigious and infamous players, but also the ‘everyday Joes’ and especially those that have been forgotten, or even purposely expunged, from the annals of history.
What skills or lessons have you learned during both your undergraduate and graduate studies that you still use today?
I was thrilled to be accepted into CLA’s master’s online history degree program. However, my dad died shortly before classes started. For the first year, I struggled. Although I turned in assignments and kept my grades up, I was simply just going through the motions. Then, I was offered a fellowship at the start of my second year, and I think it was recognizing that people still believed in me that helped me to emerge from the haze of depression that I had been living in.
I then realized that even though I had kept up with my classes, I was WAY behind in preparing for my thesis. Although the pressure was definitely on, I still was not that worried because I had the topic of my thesis all planned out: the disparity of funerary practices afforded to patients of the Oregon State Hospital in the early 20th century. Then, Dr. Marisa Chappell, a professor in my major, started encouraging me to think broader and pursue other areas of research. At first, to be honest, I was a bit resentful, because I already knew exactly what I wanted to focus on, and I was already in a time-crunch as it was. However, as I begrudgingly did the research she had assigned to me, which involved going over OSH patient records at the state archives, I stumbled across information that completely changed the trajectory of my thesis.
My apathy turned to obsession as I strove to uncover historic injustice, and the rest of the year was spent in absolute chaos as I dedicated every spare moment I could to research and writing. Throughout it all, Dr. Chappell — along with the rest of my committee, Dr. Richards and Professor Kelley Bosworth — guided and motivated me. Their glowing reception of my thesis made such an incredible impact on me, and due to their encouragement, I am now in the process of writing a book on the topic.
Throughout this process, I realized how important having a support system is, and also how important it is to be flexible and open to new opportunities. For example, even though I had no interest in the history of medicine, it ended up being something I really enjoyed, and even the field in which my thesis (and hopefully future book) is based. Putting extra research into a topic I was unenthusiastic about sparked a passion within me that I didn’t know existed.
I use these lessons today in both my personal life and my career: realizing that it is OK to reach out and ask for help and support from others, and when approaching something I am lackluster or even reluctant about, remaining optimistic about new interests or opportunities that may result.
Oh, also citations. I learned to cite everything!
Learn more about Oregon State’s online history degree bachelor’s program and the online master’s program in history.
