Jason Bosch enjoys spending time with his family, grilling outdoors on sunny days and coaching young people in leadership, the last of which he will do at his new position at the Kansas Leadership Center, starting Feb. 9.

“I will spend a lot of my time teaching, training and facilitating in KLC’s custom programs,” Bosch said. “They also do a lot of custom work with specific nonprofits, companies, community organizations, where they might go in and have a longer-term engagement and teaching and training within that organization or community.”

Bosch, the current Staff Senate president and assistant dean for student success in the College of Engineering, said that, although he is sad to leave so many great people at WSU, he is excited to embark on this new journey.

“I find that I get really energized anytime that I am teaching or training or coaching, so I’m just really excited,” he said. “I’ve been passionate for a long, long time about helping people build their leadership skills (and) build their capacity to lead.”

Bosch shared that one of his greatest accomplishments during his 17 years at WSU was the team he worked with and cultivated along the way.

“I’m really proud of the team that we’ve built here in the Engineering Student Success Center,” Bosch said. “I get to work with a team of people who are incredibly dedicated to student success and really go above and beyond every day to support students.”

His proudest accomplishment is the foundation of the Spirit Strong First Generation Scholars Program, which helps up to 40 first-generation freshman engineering students with financial needs each year.

“The students who come into that program are moving on in their degree programs at a higher rate than other first gen, limited-income students, so that program is showing some success,” he said. “I’m very, very proud of (the) work we’ve done to provide that opportunity.”

Bosch hopes that it will continue to grow and expand after he’s gone.

“My hope is that, going forward, the college will be able to identify some ways to scale that,” he said. “Just because of the current resources we have available, we have to restrict the program to 40 freshmen each year. There’s a lot more students in the college who I think could benefit from the program.”

Bosch said the most important lesson he has learned at WSU has been to put people first.

“Nothing at this university, or nothing in any organization, happens without people,” he said. “I think the best organizations, the most successful organizations, understand that their people are their most valuable asset, and they prioritize the people above all else.”

He plans on implementing this while coaching young adults in the future.

“My hope is to model that (putting people first) through my work at the Kansas Leadership Center by enabling people to exercise leadership from wherever they sit within the organization,” he said. “Leadership is very different than having a title or having power or having authority. Anybody in an organization or community can lead.”

He also shared a personal mantra of his that guides his approach to work, advice he gives to students each year while teaching an adaptive leadership course.

“You are creative and capable, and the world needs you to be confident and courageous.”

Bosch said people often underestimate their ability to make a difference in the world, leading to a lack of confidence.

“If we can start to get out of our own way and be more confident … we can create that change,” he said. “There’s a lot of problems going on in this world that are waiting for people to step up and lead.”

Bosch said he experienced his hardships and triumphs, as everyone does, but he has enjoyed his career here.

“I’m also leaving with some really fond memories, some really great relationships and overall, a positive experience at WSU.”