Back to Main Menu

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.

      Building a bridge between cultures

      by Sanjna Jassi
      The International Student Organization is hosting the International Cultural Expo to help build bridges between people of different cultures.

      ​Central Michigan University's International Cultural Expo will take place starting at 3:30 p.m. April 5 in Finch Fieldhouse. Hosted by the International Student Organization, the event will feature cultural performances, a showcase of traditional fashion, display tables, and an international buffet serving Indian and Mediterranean food.

      "We want to share our cultures, not just with students but everyone at the university and in Mount Pleasant," said Kimberly Benites Meneses, vice-president of ISO and a general management student from Peru.

      President Sara Shalabi, a biomedical and pre-dental student from Saudi Arabia, agrees. "The purpose of our organization is to be the bridge between American culture and international culture."

      The first international expo was hosted in the early '90s as a way for international students to connect. Since 2011, it has grown and become a campus and community celebration and a way for the group to really showcase the diversity of CMU.

      "This is our chance to represent what we are, who we are and all of our cultures," Shalabi said.

      Schedule of events

      The International Cultural Expo will host a variety of activities for attendees.

      • 4-5 p.m. Cultural Performances, dancing and singing
      • 5:15-5:30 p.m. Traditional dress fashion show
      • 5:30-7:30 p.m. Country displays, henna and photo booth open

      Events

      VIEW ALL EVENTS
      VIEW ALL EVENTS

       

      View our programming newsletter

      Entrepreneurship News

      Questions?

      Contact the team