Vashalice Kaaba, PhD/ABD, is a distinguished alumna of the Peace Corps and a Fulbright Scholar, deeply Vashalice Kaaba is a current PhD Candidate and undergraduate alumna of Florida State University in the Information Studies program at the iSchool. She is the current Library research and Grants analyst graduate assistant for FSU libraries. Vashalice is a returned Peace Corps volunteer who served as an English teacher and community librarian in Uganda from 2015 to 2017. This fall, she will defend her dissertation centering on John Newbery Award Books written by Black authors. In addition to her academic achievements, Vashalice is committed to the real-world application of library science to empower marginalized and underserved communities globally. She has initiated independent projects to expand library services and literacy education worldwide. A recent Fulbright Program finalist, Vashalice will be teaching and conducting research in Kenya in 2025, advancing library access and championing the right to information and educational resources for all.