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.

2025 NVC Competition Live Stream

2025 NVC Awards Live Stream

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.

A student standing with a faculty member holding big winning checks from the New Venture Challenge 2024.

Start up

Build up your venture idea.

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A student smiling and standing in front of his venture display at the 2024 New Venture Challenge.

Family business

Explore the Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways category at NVC.

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A close-up of the Prusa i3 MK3 printer in the entrepreneurship makerspace, the IDEA Den in Grawn Hall 166.

Product and prototype design

Create and patent your ideas.

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Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

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CMU student blends ceramics and percussion in unique performance and exhibition

by Matheus Souza

Central Michigan University's School of Music is set to host a groundbreaking performance titled "Echos in Clay" on April 14, at 1 p.m., featuring Melissa Navarre, a talented Bachelor of Fine Arts student with a concentration in studio art and a minor in music for percussion. Navarre, who is also a member of the CMU percussion ensemble, has ingeniously crafted a series of ceramic percussion instruments for a special program of percussion literature, performed alongside fellow musicians from the percussion studio. The recital, which combines two of Navarre's passions, will take place at the Chamichian Recital Hall and will be live-streamed on YouTube for art and music enthusiasts worldwide.

This unique performance is an extension of Navarre's BFA senior exhibition, showcasing her innovative exploration of the symbiotic relationship between ceramics and music. Following the performance, the ceramic instruments will be displayed at the University Art Gallery from April 19 through May 4. Navarre is also scheduled to present an artist talk on April 20, at 1:30 p.m., during the gallery opening reception. She will delve into her artistic influences, processes, and methods, offering attendees a deeper understanding of her creative journey and the connection between these two ancient art forms.

A picture of CMU student Melissa Navarre holding two ceramic percussion instruments she created — Melissa Navarre and two of her ceramic drums.

Navarre's project is not only a creative endeavor but also an academic research exploration into the relationship between clay and sound. "I have enjoyed exploring the connection between ceramics and music because they are two ancient art forms that have brought people together for centuries," Navarre stated, highlighting the communal and historical significance of her work.

Her exceptional contributions to the field of ceramics have been recognized with the prestigious Regina Brown Undergraduate Fellowship by the National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). This esteemed award, granted to only two recipients nationwide, provides funding for undergraduate research projects in ceramics, underscoring the innovative and impactful nature of Navarre's work.

In preparation for her project, Navarre collaborated with BFA mentor Israel Davis in several ceramic drum-making workshops at CMU, the Oxbow School of Art and Artist Residencies. Furthermore, her work and research were presented at the 2024 NCECA conference in Richmond, Virginia, showcasing her achievements to a broader audience in the ceramic arts community.

"Echos in Clay" not only marks the culmination of Navarre's undergraduate studies but also represents a significant contribution to the interdisciplinary fields of art and music. Her work invites audiences to experience the harmonious blend of visual art and sound, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the ways in which these forms of expression can intersect and enrich our cultural landscape.