Bowman Embraces Changed Plans, Aggie Legacy
Sarah Bowman working onboard the HOS Red Dawn in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Sarah Bowman ’16, ’24 is a third-generation Aggie with two degrees from Texas A&M University at Galveston. Her path to Aggieland by the Sea was unconventional, but she is grateful for the journey and says it’s all part of her story.
In the sixth grade, Bowman made a career plan. She knew what she wanted to study, where she wanted to go to university and what she wanted to do after graduation. She saw each detail through, starting with her freshman year at what she then thought was her dream school on the East Coast, halfway across the country from her hometown of College Station, where she had grown up bleeding maroon. Though she loved her coursework in naval architecture, she knew deep down that she wasn’t thriving. The only place she felt comfortable was on the water in one of the school’s vessels. After her sophomore year, Bowman knew she wasn’t happy or meeting her full potential and decided she needed to rediscover what her future could hold. She packed her things and started the 23-hour drive home. Bowman said that while the hours in the car felt unbearable at the time, she also felt relief and is now grateful for it: the drive marked the start of her new path. The semester after, she attended her local community college to get the rest of her prerequisites out of the way while she figured out what was next.
Bowman soon applied to the ocean engineering program at Texas A&M in College Station but toured the Galveston Campus for a second-choice option—just in case, she said. When she learned about the marine transportation degree, she had a gut feeling that A&M-Galveston would be a perfect fit.
“I read through the majors, and I just knew that marine transportation was where I needed to be,” said Bowman. “I was at my summer job when I got a call from admissions offering me a spot in the degree program. I was so excited. What was originally supposed to be a fallback quickly turned aspirational.”
During Bowman’s time as an undergraduate student, she dove headfirst into student organizations and Galveston Aggie traditions, including Maritime Ball, and took every opportunity she could to supplement her academics, something she highly recommends to all students. She quickly made friends and excelled academically.
The maritime academy is where I really grew up. I felt like I had found my ‘place’ after struggling for so long, and coming here, I recognized the struggle as growth. It was very significant.
Each of her three summer sea terms, the at-sea training for her maritime transportation degree, were fundamental. She sailed on TS General Rudder and TS Golden Bear for her first and third sea terms. For her second, she completed a commercial sea term with the Military Sealift Command in the East African country Djibouti, where Bowman had what she calls a “full circle moment” while overseas.
While in Djibouti, she received letters and boxes of cookies from a Girl Scout troop back in the U.S., courtesy of one of the Girl Scout’s many cookie donation programs. Bowman, now a lifetime member of the organization, also participated in this project during her time with the scouts and to be on the receiving end of these deliveries was an unanticipated delight.
Beyond her sea terms, Bowman’s professional experience as a student also included an internship on the Great Lakes on a self-unloading bulk carrier. Each opportunity brought more chances to learn and further develop her professional skills.
“The maritime academy is where I really grew up,” Bowman said. “I felt like I had found my ‘place’ after struggling for so long, and coming here, I recognized the struggle as growth. It was very significant.”
After graduating, Bowman’s first job was on the Research Vessel Thomas G. Thompson, part of the University of Washington’s academic research fleet. While Bowman was there, the Thompson underwent a midlife refit – so Bowman’s job included lots of chipping, painting, rebuilding and safety inspections while they put the ship back together.
Bowman eventually returned to College Station to spend time with family and, within a few months, made the move to work for Hornbeck Offshore on an offshore supply vessel. Bowman joined the crew of HOS Red Dawn out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. She loved the experience and the crew. She did not, however, love the seasickness. The North Pacific is well known for having some of the roughest waters in the world, and Bowman cited the television show “Deadliest Catch” when describing working in the region.
Bowman’s seasickness lasted for her first three days underway. One of her former coworkers, who had spent decades in the industry, told her that everyone gets seasick, and if you haven’t been seasick, you just haven’t been in the right conditions. After that first trip, she learned to take anti-nausea medication before sailing. During her time working for Hornbeck, she also sailed on HOS Black Rock, HOS Ridgewind and HOS Mystique, all thankfully, in calmer waters.
Over the years, Bowman considered the future of her career. Instead of continuing to work in the private industry, she decided she wanted to gain as much experience as possible so she could eventually return to the Galveston Campus. She knew long-term she wanted to spend more time shoreside, and working for the university would provide her that opportunity, while also serving the marine transportation program, the program that made such an impact on her as a student.
A job posting for a third mate onboard the TS General Rudder, the same ship she sailed on as a cadet, opened in March 2020. Bowman took a chance, applied, and was hired just in time for the Spring Break mini-cruise, soon arriving in Port Isabel with 45 cadets aboard the training ship. Though initially hired for a temporary position, she transitioned to a permanent role in September of that year.
In the spring of 2021, Bowman started working towards a Master of Maritime Business Administration and Logistics, taking classes during her off hours. She received her degree in May of 2024, proudly walking the stage in front of her students, coworkers, friends and family.
Bowman now serves as the U.S. Coast Guard license program manager for the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, a role that lets her serve both the maritime industry and the university that she loves. Pulling from her experiences so far, she shares two pieces of advice with the cadets she works with: keep an open mind when planning for your future and give yourself room to wiggle.
“I feel a strong sense of loyalty to Texas A&M and the academy,” said Bowman. “And I am thrilled to get to share my experiences with current and future students, providing support and assistance along their own journeys.”
Media Contact
Taylor Bounds
bounds@tamu.edu