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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.
Match Day: 40% of CMU’s doctor grads staying in state
by
Sanjna Jassi
Forty percent of CMU College of Medicine’s graduates were selected for residency programs in Michigan during Match Day.
While the coronavirus ruined the party, it couldn't dampen the spirit of the Central Michigan University College of Medicine's 2020 graduating class on Match Day 2020.
Normally, class members gather for Match Day at a nice venue to find out at noon with graduates from around the nation where they will spend their next several years in residency. This year, social distancing took precedence.
"It's not the ideal situation," said graduate Adam Kloha from Bay City, Michigan, who aims to practice internal medicine in the Midwest. "I would have rather been with my classmates, but we know it's a necessary step to help flatten the curve of the coronavirus victims."
The medical school's fourth graduating class planned to get together on social media later in the day.
"Match Day is one of the most joyous days of the year at medical schools," said Dr. Tina Thompson, the college of medicine's senior associate dean, academic affairs.
"While the day is bittersweet this year as we are unable to host a live event, the College of Medicine family is together in spirit and joins in celebration of our students' success," she said.
"We are proud of our students' continued success matching in competitive programs in Michigan and nationally," said College of Medicine Dean Dr. George Kikano.
The matches are determined by a computerized algorithm used by the National Resident Matching Program to align the specialty and location requests of students with the preferences of program directors at U.S. teaching hospitals.
Kikano said by all measures, Match Day this year was a great success, as 40% of CMU students matched to a residency program in Michigan and 75% matched to primary care.
"We are especially proud of our three students who matched into military residencies," he said.
"The match, the culmination of four years for medical students, is a very stressful yet gratifying time and the next step for them developing as physicians. We are proud of all of them," said Dr. Mildred Willy, associate dean, student affairs.
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.
