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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.

      College honors VanDeusen

      by Sanjay Gupta
      The CMU College of Education and Human Services recognizes a professor with the Marie Berrell Endowed Professor award.

      The College of Education and Human Services has named teacher education and professional development faculty member Betsy VanDeusen as the Marie Berrell Endowed Professor for 2019-22.

      Marie Berrell, a CMU alumna, established the endowment in 1997 to acknowledge outstanding faculty in early childhood and elementary education with a focus on developmental literacy. Berrell graduated from CMU in 1922 with a teaching degree and maintained close relationships with many faculty and administrators from her program.

      In her letters to the university, Berrell noted that CMU faculty had a profound influence on her life. With her gift, she hoped to ensure future students would benefit from the same excellent instruction she received.

      The award is given to a faculty member who has participated in research; undergraduate- and graduate- level teaching; the College of Education and Human Services Literary Center or reading clinic; and has collaborated with preschool through 12th-grade school personnel.

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      Questions?

      Contact the team