Dushani Rajaratnam

Dushani Eshwaran is a doctoral student in Higher Education with a cognate in Communication Studies at Ball State University, where she also serves as a Doctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Educational Leadership. Her research and practice center on international student experiences, pedagogical innovation, and culturally responsive teaching across global contexts.

With over a decade of international educational experience spanning Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the United States, Eshwaran has held roles including Head of Primary at Genrich International School in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Lecturer in Education in Colombo, Sri Lanka; and currently as Instructor of Record for EDHI 402: Global Leadership at Ball State University. Her teaching integrates cross-cultural leadership, ethical decision-making, and global systems thinking through seminar-style discussion and project-based learning.

Dushani's scholarly work examines cultural transition among international students and the facilitation of AI-supported discussion. Her forthcoming publications include "Navigating Cultural Transition: Experiences of International Students at a Midwestern University" in the Journal of International Students (2026) and a chapter on photovoice methodology in Critical Participatory Action Research in Higher Education: For Us, By Us (2025). She also authored "Impact of Blended Learning in the Early Years" in the ETMA International Conference Proceedings (2022). She has presented at conferences including NAFSA, AAACE, and CSCC.

She holds an M.A. in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Ball State University, an M.Ed. from Lincoln University College (Malaysia), an International PGCE from the University of Derby, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Colombo. She is currently pursuing certificates in Community College Leadership and College and University Teaching.