As a first-generation Indian American, and the first daughter in her family, a doctorate meant more than a title — it’s a generational win. Coming from a background of Indian descent, Iswariya Baskar has always strived to find ways to bring honor to her family while simultaneously setting a new generational milestone. Living a life full of excitement, driven passion and purpose, Iswariya has always been determined to see how far she could push and challenge herself to do hard things — including earning her Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Learning with Emerging Technologies. Telling her story about how she rose from the tech world into the academic world, Iswariya is eager to inspire more women around her community and the ACU family to seek the hard things in life and conquer them.
A Prodigy Since The Beginning
Raised by two immigrant parents in the Dallas, Texas area, Iswariya grew up knowing that the world was always on the move. Seeing American life through her own eyes, Iswariya remembers being taught that she needed to go to school if she ever wanted to move up in the world. And so, she put her head down and got to work. Excelling in school, and even in college, Iswariya soon found herself graduating from The University of Texas at Dallas, where she earned a multi-interdisciplinary degree in information technology systems and political science – two fields that matched her love for technology and critical thinking. Eager and excited to start her career, Iswariya began working in a variety of roles, including a remote scrum master, where she not only led collaborative efforts but also took charge of the core team and promoted cross-team communication – all things that came quite naturally to her.
“I was working from home, since the pandemic hit, and I started to wonder how I could expand my knowledge since I was just at home working,” said Iswariya.
Shortly after, she decided to continue her path toward excellence by obtaining her Master of Business Administration at Texas Woman’s University. Looking to be skilled in analyzing complex business challenges and developing effective strategies to drive organizational success, Iswariya proved her ability to lead cross-functional teams as well as implement operational improvements to achieve measurable results in diverse industries and business environments. Needless to say, Iswariya was moving and grooving her way into the tech industry, and with a high interest in becoming an academic.
Continuing her efforts in the professional world, including working for companies such as H-E-B and USAA, Iswariya sought out opportunities to enhance her learning even further. And because she felt like she had the time, energy and resources to continue pursuing her academic dreams, she decided to seek out her doctorate degree – an important milestone for her. However, she needed two conditions to be met: the program needed to be online, and she needed to be able to continue to keep her job. Turns out, ACU Online was just the right fit for her.
“I researched universities extensively. I needed a program that was fully online, so I could keep working full-time and financially support myself while studying,” she said. “I also wanted something based in Texas, where I had roots and community. ACU checked all the boxes.”
Introducing Dr. Iswariya Baskar, Ed.D.
In the summer of 2022, Iswariya began her doctoral journey at ACU Online. Having only been 24 years old, she knew deep down that she was capable of more—and hungry for it. However, she quickly realized that doctorate programs required more intensive coursework and determination. For her, entering a doctoral program felt like stepping into a whole new world. From the formatting to getting the academic tone, citations and structure right, it was all new and even a little intimidating.
“My first few months were rough,” she said. “I wasn’t hitting the grades I wanted. I even came close to academic probation, which shook my confidence. But I made a commitment to myself that if I was admitted, that means I belonged here.”
From there forward, Iswariya locked in and started taking classes even more seriously. Making connections with professors and applying the feedback she was given, she slowly started to see real improvement happening. In her own words, once she found her rhythm, she began seeking approval to take multiple classes and began taking four per semester, while working full-time – a major commitment for someone in her position. Completing 12 classes in a single year, Iswariya viewed it all as a badge of honor. In more than one way, she had pushed herself beyond what she thought possible.
“My daily routine was relentless: work all day, come home, take a short break, and dive straight into coursework,” she said. “I lived and breathed this program. It was exhausting, but worth it.”
Halfway through my dissertation journey, Iswariya had to learn how to take guidance from her chair. After experiencing a shift in mentorship, Dr. Melissa Atkinson, a university librarian and committee member she truly respected, stepped up and volunteered to take over. For Iswariya, her ability to navigate the world of dissertation writing with kindness, structure and unwavering belief was what really helped her build her dissertation. After a few months of intense writing and work, Iswariya prepared her proposal defense and though nerve-wracking, she was able to successfully defend with plans to complete her dissertation and graduate in December 2025.
Iswariya has always been a woman with a career goal in mind. These days, it’s to enter the product management (PM) space, where she could build technical products that improve lives and are inclusive, human-centered and meaningful for learners of all ages. Extremely passionate about designing solutions at scale, she believes that products that solve real problems, especially for underrepresented communities, bring a unique lens to the table. For her, those products require academic depth, business experience and empathy-driven leadership – qualities she proudly wears.
“I want to be a leader in tech, not just a contributor,” she said. “My doctorate has given me the confidence to walk into any room and advocate for innovation, equity and excellence.
Are you inspired by Iswariya’s drive and determination? Do you envision yourself achieving similar academic success? Whether you’re looking to advance your career, make a meaningful impact in your organization, or grow as a leader, our Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership program could be the next step in your journey.
We invite you to explore the opportunities waiting for you—visit our website today and connect with one of our dedicated Student Success Advisors. We’re here to help you chart a path toward your goals.
