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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 releases Presidential Leadership Profile for national search
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As Central Michigan University begins the search for its 16th president, the CMU Board of Trustees has released a new Presidential Leadership Profile document. The profile showcases the university’s academic and co-curricular programs and outlines expectations for the university’s next leader.
Approximately 200 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, community partners and supporters participated in the April listening sessions hosted by search firm WittKieffer. Additionally, 350 individuals submitted feedback using an online form.
Denise Williams Mallett, Ed.D., vice chair of the CMU Board of Trustees and chair of the presidential search advisory committee, said the community’s input was invaluable to the development of the search criteria.
“Our goal was to make the search process as inclusive as possible and to ensure we received input from a wide variety of university stakeholders,” Williams Mallett said. “The search consultants reviewed and synthesized all the information we received and used it as a foundation for the leadership profile.”
The leadership profile outlines the role of the president, the opportunities and expectations for leadership, and the professional qualifications and personal qualifications desirable for the university’s next leader. The 48-page document also provides a high-level overview of the university and its mission, vision and values; the academic colleges and student support services; the Mount Pleasant community and surrounding region; and more.
Next steps for the search
As outlined in the presidential search timeline, the university will spend the summer months advertising the position, soliciting nominations and engaging WittKieffer to assist with intentional, targeted outreach to potential candidates.
Members of the CMU community also are encouraged to nominate candidates for consideration. To recommend a candidate, individuals should send an email to CMUPresident@wittkieffer.com that includes the candidate’s name, email address and phone number.
Signature Programs
Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship
Explore special opportunities to learn new skills and travel the world.
Compete & Win
New Venture Challenge 2025
Present your venture and win BIG at the New Venture Challenge.
Build your skills
Workshops and events
Boost your entrepreneurial skills through our workshops, mentor meetups and pitch competitions.
Develop your ideas
IDEA Den
Learn about the entrepreneurship makerspace on campus in Grawn Hall.
Ready, Set, Pitch!
Make-A-Pitch 2024
Present a 2-minute pitch at the Make-A-Pitch Competition and you could win prizes and bragging rights!
Meet Mentors
Mentorship and support
Connect with mentors and faculty who are here to support the next generation of CMU entrepreneurs.
Support students
Make an impact
Are you a CMU alum looking to support CMU student entrepreneurs? Learn how you can support or donate to the Entrepreneurship Institute.
View our programming newsletter
Alumni give back to students through mentorship, real-world experiences
The Wakeling Gendron Entrepreneurial Scholars program wrapped its first cohort this academic year.
Students compete to win cash prizes at the New Venture Challenge
Pitched 40 ventures at NMV Challenge, Friday, April 19, CMU. Judges awarded $100,000 in cash prizes.
Wakeling Gendron Scholars make a life-changing trip to Texas
Wakeling and Gendron Scholars attended SXSW in Texas, meeting industry leaders and gaining entrepreneurial insights.
Business barriers lead CMU students to a new venture
Justin Ashman and Philip Mundt won Central Michigan University's New Venture Competition with their 3-D printing operation, Form Further.
