Derron Borders
Kansas State University
Research
My research sits at the intersection of social epistemology and adult learning. I study how an imperialist apparatus of knowledge production governs what counts as legitimate understanding, and how its operation conditions the learning orientations available to differently positioned social groups.
Keywords: adult learning, social epistemology, hegemony, dialectical materialism, transformative learning
Academic Preparation
Doctor of Philosophy, Adult Learning & Leadership, 2029 (expected), Kansas State University
Master of Arts, College Student Personnel, 2016, Bowling Green State University
Master of Arts, Linguistics, 2015, University of Utah (commitee: Mariana Di Paolo, Aaron Kaplan, Lisa Diamond)
Bachelor of Arts, Linguistics, Cum Laude, 2008, The Ohio State University
Bachelor of Arts, French, Cum Laude, 2008, The Ohio State University
Coursework toward Associate of Arts in Humanities, 2003-2005, Columbus State Community College
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Borders, D. (in press). Pre-dialogic agonism: Adult learning, hegemony, and the epistemic crisis of “post-truth.” Adult Education Quarterly.
Presentations, Lectures, and Workshops
Scholarly Paper Presentations (Refereed)
Borders, D. (2026, April). Why thoughts alone don’t change minds: Rethinking education in a “post-truth” era. K-State Graduate Research, Arts, and Discovery Forum, Manhattan, KS.
Borders, D. (2025, October). Raising class consciousness: Adult learning in a socialist book club. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, Cincinnati, OH.
Borders, D. (2025, September). Toward a decolonized andragogy: Addressing the limits of neoliberal adult education. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, Virtual Conference.
Borders, D. (2019). Decolonizing gender and sexual identity development of Indigenous students. ACPA – College Student Educators International.
Alzoubi, A., & Borders, D. (2014, April). (NG) in Utah: Retention or innovation? University of Utah Student Conference in Linguistics, Salt Lake City, UT.
Borders, D. (2014, April). Gay- and straight-sounding voices: Gender socialization of returned Latter-day Saint missionaries. University of Utah Student Conference in Linguistics, Salt Lake City, UT.
Alzoubi, A., Borders, D., & Di Paolo, M. (2013, October). (NG) in Utah English. New Ways of Analyzing Variation 42, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA.
Borders, D. (2011, April). An immersive and collaborative approach to teaching Indigenous languages: The Co-Teaching American Indian Language Immersion Program. University of Utah Student Conference in Linguistics, Salt Lake City, UT.
Conference Presentations (Refereed)
Barfield, T., Borders, D., Briley, V. L., Fiala, M., & Haller, L. B. (2025, October). Experiential learning for scholars: Building community through designing research. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, Cincinnati, OH.
Barfield, T., Borders, D., Briley, V. L., Fiala, M., & Haller, L. B. (2025, October). Answering the “call to cohort:” Takeaways from piloting a studio for designing dissertation research. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, Cincinnati, OH.
Borders, D., McGhee, A., & Vital, C.-S. (2022, April). Fatphobia in higher education: A panel discussion. Cornell Inclusive Excellence Summit 2022.
Borders, D., & Allbaugh, H. (2022, March). The intersection of anti-fatness with food, health, and wellness. ACPA – College Student Educators International.
McGhee, A., Borders, D., Due, J. N., & Allbaugh, H. (2022, March). Fatphobia in the workplace – stories from fat SA professionals. ACPA – College Student Educators International.
Borders, D., & Strass, K. (2019). Student development of Native American identity through language revitalization programs. ACPA – College Student Educators International.
Invited Talks
Borders, D. (2022). Fatphobia in medicine. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
Borders, D. (2012). Language, gender, and sexuality. LING 3600: Cross-Cultural Communication.
Hansen, L., & Borders, D. (2012). Language acquisition as an international student in an American university. Global Pathways’ Spring 2012 Meeting.
Selected Workshops (Facilitator)
Borders, D. (2023). Trans inclusion in the workplace. SC Johnson College of Business.
Borders, D. (2020, September). Diversity and inclusion aren’t enough: Towards equity and justice in business student orgs. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.
Di Paolo, M., Borders, D., Pynes, J., Mitchell, J., Arnoff, S., Broncho, S., Martin, J., & Griffith, T. (2014). Foundations for learning: Increasing Shoshoni language use in early-childhood learners. Shoshoni Language Teacher Education Workshop.
Di Paolo, M., Borders, D., Pynes, J., Mitchell, J., & Arnoff, S. (2013). Breaking through barriers: Increasing the use of Shoshoni in classrooms & communities. Shoshoni Language Teacher Education Workshop.
Di Paolo, M., Hudson, B. J., & Borders, D. (2011). Workshop on teaching American Indian languages to beginning level adults: Oral language development. 8th Annual Conference on Endangered Languages and Cultures of Native America.
Professional Administrative Experience
Investigator, Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, Kansas State University, 2024 – 2026
Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University, 2021 – 2023
Assistant Director of Student Life and Academic Programming, Cornell in Washington, Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell University, 2020 – 2021
Director, Language House, West Campus House System, Cornell University, 2016 – 2020
Graduate Experience
Graduate Research Assistant, Language Services Hub, Kirmser Language Center, Department of Modern Languages, Kansas State University, 2026 – Present
Graduate Intern, Instructional Design and Digital Learning, Center for Academic Innovation, Kansas State University, 2026 – Present
Graduate Coordinator, Ethnic Student Center, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Bowling Green State University, 2014 – 2016
Graduate Research Associate, National Center for Voice and Speech, University of Utah, 2013
Project Manager, Shoshoni Language Project, University of Utah, 2010 – 2014
Teaching Assistant, Department of Linguistics, University of Utah, 2010 – 2013
Teaching Experience
Instructor of Record, Department of Linguistics, University of Utah, 2010 – 2013
- Teaching & Learning Across Languages (ESL 1600), American History for ESL (ESL 1700), Cross Cultural Communication (LING 3600), Expository Writing for ESL (ESL 1060)
Auxiliar de inglés (teaching assistant), North American Language and Culture Assistants Program, Spain, 2009 – 2010
- 9th–12th grade
Assistant d’anglais (teaching assistant), Teaching Assistant Program in France, 2008 – 2009
- K–6th grade
Industry Experience
Lead, Language Development, UnBound Games, Salt Lake City, UT, 2011 – 2013
Associate Transcriber, VoiceBox Technologies, Bellevue, WA, 2008
University, College, & Department Service
Cornell University
University Level:
Elected Member, SC Johnson College of Business Representative, Employee Assembly, 2022 – 2023
Selected Member, Building Bridges – Diverse Talent Recruitment and Retention Task Force, 2022 – 2023
College Level:
Chair, Measurement and Accountability Committee, Dean’s Leadership Council on Combatting Racism and Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, SC Johnson College of Business, 2021 – 2023
Department Level:
Chair, Johnson Anti-Racism Initiative, SC Johnson Graduate School of Management, 2022 – 2023
Chair, Cornell in Washington DEI Strategic Planning Committee, Cornell in Washington, 2020 – 2021
Bowling Green State University
University Level:
Graduate Diversity and Belonging Representative, Graduate Student Senate, 2020 – 2021
University of Utah
Department Level:
Organizing Chair, University of Utah Student Conference in Linguistics, 2012
Chair, Graduate Student Advisory Committee in Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, 2011 – 2012
Selected Member, Organizing Committee for the Annual Conference on Endangered Languages and Cultures of Native America, Center for American Indian Languages, 2011 – 2012
National Service
Professional Membership
Association for the Study of Higher Education, 2026 - Present
American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, 2024 – Present
ACPA – College Student Educators International, 2015 – 2023
National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, - 2022 – 2023
NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, 2015 – 2017
American Dialect Society, 2012 – 2015
International Gender and Language Association, 2012 – 2015
American Anthropological Association, 2011 – 2013
Linguistics Society of America, 2010 – 2015
Leadership
Chair, Membership and Outreach, Indigenous Student Affairs Network, ACPA – College Student Educators International, 2010 – 2015
Chair, Marketing and Communications, Indigenous Student Affairs Network, ACPA – College Student Educators International, 2016 – 2022
Founder, Coalition for Fat Identities, ACPA – College Student Educators International, 2020
Committee Work
Annual Conference Proposals Review Committee, ACPA – College Student Educators International, 2018 – 2022
Awards & Honors
Fellowship, Western American Language Research Group, University of Utah, 2013, 2014
Salt Lake City Weekly Best of Utah Award, The Shoshoni Language Project Team, 2013
National Indian Education Association’s William G. Demmert Cultural Freedom Award, The Shoshoni Language Project Team, 2013
Skills & Knowledge
Administrative: budgeting & bookkeeping, program and event coordination, project management, recruiting
Editorial: accessibility, academic copyediting, proofreading, scholarly writing, manuscript preparation, peer review process, American Psychological Association style (7th edition), Associated Press (58th edition), Chicago style (18th edition), citation & reference management, style guide adherence
Interpersonal: academic advising, career coaching, conflict resolution, crisis management, training development and facilitation, mediation
Policy: Affirmative Action, Americans with Disabilities Act, Clery Act, Equal Opportunity Employment, FERPA, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, VAWA
Specializations: access & disability, allyship, cross-cultural communication, decolonization, emotional intelligence, fat liberation, gender & sexuality, Indigenous issues, implicit bias, inclusive leadership
Strategic: data analytics and assessment, risk analysis, strategic planning
Technical: Adobe Creative Suite, Articulate Rise 360 and Storyline, Asana, Audacity, Canva, Canvas, ChatGPT, Claude, CSS, FileMaker Pro, GitHub, Google Applications, H5P, HandShake, HeyGen, HTML, JavaScript, Jekyll, LaTeX, Maxient, Microsoft 365, Notion, NVivo, Obsidian, PeopleSoft, Praat, Python, Qualtrics, R, SalesForce, social media management, Synthesia.io, ThingLink, Visual Studio Code, web development, Zotero
Language Knowledge
English: Native
French: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Catalan: Advanced
Dutch: Intermediate
German: Intermediate
Finnish: Beginner
Romanian: Beginner
Arabic: Beginner
Shoshoni: Beginner