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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.
Holiday baking with safety in mind
by
Aaron Mills
Lots of cookies are made each holiday season. Many cookie recipes use eggs, which are commonly linked to the bacteria nontyphoidal Salmonella. It is important to keep this in mind and use preventive measures to ensure you stay safe during the Christmas season.
Eggs are used to make many things like Christmas cookies. Eggs may or may not contain nontyphoidal Salmonella. The eggs can acquire this bacterium when on the farm. Many of the farm animals carry this bacterium naturally like chickens. If a chicken carrying this bacterium lays an egg, this egg has nontyphoidal Salmonella on the shell. But an egg that is laid by a chicken not carrying these bacteria can still obtain the bacteria by bird droppings from a bird containing the bacteria. It is important to treat every egg like it may contain the bacteria.
If someone consumes a small amount of the bacteria, they can become ill. This illness is called salmonellosis, which leads to symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and fever. The severity depends on the person’s health and the quantity of bacteria.
To stay safe while baking cookies, there are important preventive measures to follow. First, avoid eating raw cookie dough, which the CDC recommends against due to the risk of illness. Another step is to ensure the cookies that contain eggs are baked to 165℉ internal temperatures, which effectively kills any potential salmonella bacteria. These steps ensure that the cookies containing eggs are safe to consume.
Another important preventative measure while baking cookies is avoiding cross-contamination. Wash your hands, utensils, and any equipment that comes into contact with the raw cookie to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria to other surfaces or utensils. By following these steps, you can reduce the risk of foodborne illness and safely enjoy your holiday treats.
Caitlin Kerry is a junior in the dietetics program at Central Michigan University. To learn more about the nutrition and Dietetics program and course offerings, please get in touch with the program director Dr. Najat Yahia at yahia1n@cmich.edu.
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.
