Current & Former Students

Jason Tieman Charts The Course To Giving Back 

Tieman as a student at Texas A&M University at Galveston

For Jason Tieman ’97, the giving season is year-round. As senior director of development for the Texas A&M Foundation, Tieman brings a wealth of professional knowledge, industry experience and a passion for service to Texas A&M University at Galveston. 

Tieman fondly remembers his time as a student at the Galveston Campus and in the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, a driving factor in his career.

“Looking back on my student experience, I’ll be the first to admit that maybe my grades weren’t the best, but I spent a ton of extra time on the ship and doing real work,” Tieman said. “As a hands-on student, I couldn’t have found a better university. That was the best part of my formal education – especially summer sea term.” 

He considers himself incredibly lucky to have sailed on Texas Clipper, and has enough stories just from his summer sea terms to fill a week. Tieman helped with the quick transition from Texas Clipper to Texas Clipper II, sailing on the latter for his senior sea term. 

“The ship felt like the heart of the maritime academy,” Tieman said. “I’m excited to see that feeling on campus with TS Kennedy and soon TS Lone Star State.”

Tieman says that although many things at the campus have changed since the ’90s, the practical experience that students get as part of all of the degree programs remain. The campus’s laid back atmosphere allowed him to thrive, even within an academically rigorous degree program.

By the time Tieman graduated, he had forged lasting relationships with faculty as well as his classmates. Soon, he was working all over the world doing all kinds of jobs in the maritime field.

Tieman’s start in the industry included a job on a tanker to and from, as he says, “the Georgia on the Black Sea, not the one a few states over,” and locally in Galveston on tugboats. He particularly enjoyed maneuvering in limited space. 

Tieman’s passion for the industry grew with his experience. As he tried to plan for his future, he realized he wanted to pivot to a different path. Eventually, Tieman transitioned to a shoreside job with the U.S. Coast Guard through a direct commissioning program. He was inspired by a classmate who was heading to flight school from the Coast Guard, which left an open spot in Galveston, the perfect fit for Tieman. 

“I started well before the events of September 11 transformed the national security landscape,” Tieman said. “Back then, the Coast Guard was part of the Department of Transportation, managing waterways, safety and pollution response.”

Tieman recalls how his job changed after the September 11 attacks as national security, which included the country’s ports and waterways, became a top priority of the Coast Guard. This was pivotal in Tieman’s career, as the Homeland Security Act of 2002 transferred the Coast Guard from the Department of Transportation to the newly formed Department of Homeland Security.

Tieman became involved with a variety of new initiatives, and eventually worked on marine casualty investigations.

“My favorite two years in the Coast Guard were when I was a senior investigating officer for marine casualties,” he said. “It was a phenomenal experience to dig in and understand what led up to an incident. It trained me to think about problems in a completely different way.”

After leaving the Coast Guard, Tieman joined the private sector. He joined a company that was on the forefront of solving real-world problems, using the newly-required automatic identification systems, or AIS, for collision avoidance, improving efficiency, holding violators of the Jones Act accountable, reducing demurrage costs and increasing pipeline safety.

“It was a little controversial at the time,” said Tieman, “But it brought more accountability and safety to the maritime system.” 

Tieman helped establish the Sea Aggie Former Student Network as a constituent network so former students of the Galveston Campus could have increased representation in the broader Association of Former Students. This was his first step back into working with the campus. Over time, he’d see other maritime academies represented at industry events, but never Texas A&M Maritime Academy. And so, Tieman began a mission to get the campus – including current students – better represented in the industry.

Tieman is intentional about giving back to the university. In his role at the Foundation, he works to establish avenues for former students and other supporters to contribute to scholarships, endowments and other initiatives. His service to the students ensures that gifts are directed in a way that will make the greatest impact while honoring the legacy of donors. 

“Back when I was a student, people that knew you were at A&M would buy you a meal,” Tieman said. “Working at the Foundation is like a roundabout way of doing that.”

Tieman continued, “I’ve never met a group of people that are so passionate and caring and genuinely want to see donors fulfilled in their legacies.”

Tieman sees his role on campus as a way to educate former students, in particular, on how they can make a serious impact on campus. And although current students might know the Aggie Network as a concept, he says many don’t realize there is a huge group of people rooting for them that want to see them succeed and that making that connection is often difficult for students. 

“There is certainly a culture of selfless service at Texas A&M, but I’m working to build a foundation of philanthropy on our campus, too,” Tieman said. “We have folks wanting to get plugged in somehow, whether it’s as mentors, as employers or as donors, and I get to play a small part in helping them find that niche.”

Tieman’s selfless service extends well beyond the Galveston Campus. He serves on the board and is actively involved in the hands-on volunteer work of Skeleton Crew Adventures, a nonprofit dedicated to providing veterans and first responders living with Post Traumatic Stress research-based methods of learning to live with trauma through adventure therapy. 

Tieman recently received an honorary commission as a Texas Navy Admiral. He also serves as a board member with the Galveston Historic Foundation representing Elissa and the Texas Seaport Museum. 

Tieman’s commitment to the success of future students is the core of his work with the Foundation. He knows that giving back isn’t about writing a check, but creating a lasting impact for his community.

“At the end of the day, I love seeing that others are happy and fulfilled. And I’m thrilled to be a small part of getting them there.”

Wondering how you can make an impact with the Texas A&M Foundation? The ways are endless! The Foundation has several initiatives that benefit the Galveston Campus. To see how you can give, please visit the Texas A&M Foundation Online Giving Portal. 

If you’re interested in establishing a legacy through the Texas A&M Foundation, please contact the Galveston Campus team.