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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.

      CMU names new leader for financial services and reporting, controller

      by User Not Found

      Lori Hella, associate vice president for Human Resources, today announced that Julie Montross will serve as Central Michigan University’s next associate vice president for financial services and reporting and controller, effective May 16. Montross currently serves as interim associate vice president for financial services and reporting at CMU and previously was associate controller for financial services and reporting. 

      In January, Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services Mary Moran Hill announced the search for the AVP role. The search committee, chaired by Jonathan Webb, associate vice president for Facilities Management, narrowed the search down to two finalists. Following meetings with the search committee, senior leaders, Finance and Administrative Services leadership, and open forums for CMU community members, Montross was selected to serve in the associate vice president role. 

      “Julie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will serve the university well in this critical financial management leadership role,” Webb said.

      Since 2008, Montross has served in roles across CMU, gaining knowledge and experience in the university’s accounting systems, including SAP financial structure master data management, financial transaction entry and annual upgrade testing to maintain the financial integrity of the university’s Enterprise Resource Planning software system.

      “I am honored to be offered this opportunity to serve the CMU community and my colleagues in this leadership role,” Montross said. “I look forward to collaborating with campus partners to ensure our division continues to provide excellent service while supporting the university’s financial and operational needs.” 

      In the AVP position, Montross will serve as the administrator for matters pertaining to financial activities for the university, including administrative oversight and leadership of an executive team of professionals that together lead the operation and strategic direction of the university’s finance-related service units. The associate vice president exercises authority to plan, develop, implement and enforce policies and objectives of the financial and accounting functions of the university, including investments. Additional responsibilities include providing administration, operation and direction for university contracts, purchasing, logistics operations, risk management, insurance programs, and environmental health and safety operations.  

      Montross holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Computer Science from Kalamazoo College and an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. 

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