Murfreesboro, N.C. — Chowan University is pleased to announce the appointment of Sara Crowder to its Board of Trustees, effective January 1, 2026.

Crowder is a financial advisor with an Edward Jones branch in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. Ten years ago, she had the privilege of opening the first Edward Jones branch on Main Street in the historic town and today she serves both local community members and clients nationwide. Crowder is a 2008 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Asheville where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music. She also holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification.

Deeply committed to community leadership and service, Crowder serves as President of the Murfreesboro Chamber of Commerce, and as a member of the ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital Directors Council. She is also an active member of the Historic Murfreesboro Commission and volunteers with the Hertford County Aging/Senior Center delivering home-delivered meals in the Murfreesboro community. In addition, she volunteers as pianist and serves as a deacon at her lifelong church, Boykins Baptist.

Crowder is no stranger to Chowan University. As a young adult, she attended summer youth camps at Chowan and more recently served on Chowan University’s Presidential Search Committee and on Dr. Rosemary Thomas’s Presidential Leadership Transition Team.

Rooted in the same community where she and her husband, Ben, were born and raised, Crowder is the proud mother of three children. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and playing the piano.

Her appointment strengthens the University’s Board of Trustees through deep local ties, proven leadership, and a strong commitment to service and stewardship.