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Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

We are a dedicated institute for student entrepreneurs across campus and beyond. We aim to maximize your success by fostering your entrepreneurial mindset, promote inter-disciplinary collaboration and provide support for the creation and development of your new ventures. Jumpstart your ideas and get involved today!

Tune in for excitement!

Passion. Potential. Pitches. Don't miss any of the 2025 New Venture Challenge excitement.

Tune in Friday, April 11 at 1 p.m. for great ideas and fierce competition. Then, join the judges, mentors, spectators and teams as they see who is going home with thousands of dollars in venture financing. The awards broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. and one team will walk away as the overall best venture. 

Start your entrepreneurial journey

Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration is the home of the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship and the first Department of Entrepreneurship in the state of Michigan. We are a student-centric hub where experiential, curricular, and external entrepreneurial opportunities intersect.

Our mission is to maximize student success by fostering a campus-wide entrepreneurial mindset that promotes inter-disciplinary collaboration and the creation of new ventures.

We aim to create innovative programming, boost cross-campus and ecosystem collaboration and provide a comprehensive mentoring program.

Our institute provides extracurricular opportunities and is open to all undergraduate and graduate CMU students.

Student opportunities

  • Meet experienced alumni, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and other business and political leaders.
  • Learn practical skills, innovative thinking, and connect with mentors and entrepreneurial resources.
  • Attend skill-building workshops and compete in pitch competitions and Hackathons.
  • Take part in special scholarship programs and travel experiences.
  • Pitch your venture at our signature New Venture Challenge event and compete for up to $20,000 in cash awards.

      Find your path

      Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur?

      Every journey is unique. Explore the opportunities that interest you.

      Board agenda includes president’s year-end report

      by Sanjay Gupta
      CMU President Bob Davies will present his 2019-20 year-end report to the Board of Trustees when it meets Thursday starting at 8:30 a.m.

      Central Michigan University President Bob Davies will present his 2019-20 year-end report to the Board of Trustees when it meets Thursday starting at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be available via livestream to the university community and the general public.

      The presentation also will include a discussion on the 2020-21 university strategies and initiatives.

      An update on CMU's fall semester while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic will be presented by several university leaders. The discussion will include updates on health, academics, student affairs, communications and more.

      Trustees also will consider approval of more than 750 August graduates and will hear a presentation from Plante Moran, the university's external audit firm, regarding CMU's 2019-20 financial statements.

      Consideration of a new campus dining contract also is on the agenda. CMU conducted a competitive process to identify and select a dining services vendor. The selected vendor will manage and supervise the Dining Services operations on the university's campus.

      In addition, the following committee meetings will be available via livestream to the university community and the general public on Wednesday. Along with reviewing several items that will be on Thursday's formal agenda, highlights of the committee meetings include:

      • Enterprise Risk, 1-1:50 p.m. — Trustees will discuss an update of the enterprise risk matrix and other areas of institutional risk.
      • Academic and Student Affairs, 2-3 p.m. — An update on enrollment will be provided by Jennifer DeHaemers, vice president for recruitment and retention, and Tony Voisin, associate vice president for student services. Trustees also will receive an update on academic response to COVID-19 and academic prioritization from Mary C. Schutten, executive vice president and provost.
      • Finance and Facilities, 3:05-4:05 p.m. — Trustees will receive a presentation from NEPC Investment Consultants. In addition, a budget update will be presented by Nick Long, vice president for finance and administrative services, and an update on campus summer projects will be presented by Jonathan Webb, associate vice president for facilities management. The two also will provide an update on construction of the Chippewa Champions Center.
      • Trustees-Faculty Liaison, 4:10-5 p.m. — A discussion of the strengths and challenges of teaching HyFlex will be presented by Lisa Gandy, chairperson of the computer science department, and Tracy Galarowicz, a biology faculty member.
      • Trustees-Student Liaison, 5:10-6 p.m. — Student Government Association President Katie Prebelich will present campus life updates, followed by a presentation of the Student Government Association President's Report by Prebelich; Brett John Houle, SGA vice president and Program Board president; and Kevin Bautista-Macilla, SGA director of equity and inclusion. In addition, Houle will present the Program Board President's Report, and Rachel Border, director of the Residence Housing Association, will update trustees on RHA fall semester efforts.

      Agendas for the September meetings and a schedule of committee meetings are available on the Board of Trustees' website

      The formal session, as well as the committee meetings on Wednesday listed above, are open to the university community and general public virtually through the following links:

      • Committee meetings — Wednesday.
      • Formal session — Thursday.

      In accordance with the Board of Trustees Bylaws, public comment will be allowed for Thursday's formal session by submitting a request online or to trustees@cmich.edu and providing comments in advance to be read at the meeting. Given the virtual format, public comment will not be delivered in person for this meeting.

      Questions?