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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.

      New trustees, new committee

      by Sanjay Gupta
      Central Michigan University’s Board of Trustees will hold its February meetings Wednesday and Thursday.

      Several firsts are on the agenda for this week's Central Michigan University Board of Trustees committee meetings and formal session.

      The trustees will meet Wednesday and Thursday in the President's Conference Room of the Bovee University Center. It will be the first official meeting for trustees Todd Anson and Ed Plawecki, whom Gov. Rick Snyder appointed in October, and the first meeting of a new ad hoc Enterprise Risk Committee.

      The new board committee will work with CMU's existing Enterprise Risk Committee, which includes representatives from areas such as academic administration, finance and administrative services, information technology, and CMU Police. The committees will work together to identify, assess and reduce risks with potential to negatively impact the university.

      Trustees also will review and vote on changes in members of boards of directors of several public school academies and on the reauthorization of contracts for four schools. They also will vote on an appointment to the Clarke Historical Library's Board of Governors and consider several other matters, including:

      • Approval of faculty sabbaticals, tenure and promotions.
      • Review of naming opportunities, scholarship awards and endowments.
      • Update on Office of Research and Graduate Studies quarterly awards.

      During the formal session, which begins Thursday at 8:30 a.m., the board will hear presentations from:

      • Michael Alford, Zyzelewski family associate vice president and director of athletics.
      • Erin Strang, CEO and president of Central Michigan University Research Corp.
      • Bob Martin, vice president of advancement, and alum Mike O'Donnell, chair of the Fire Up for Excellence fundraising campaign.

      Highlights of Wednesday's committee meetings include:

      • Enterprise Risk, 1 to 1:50 p.m. — The new ad hoc committee will discuss its charter and charge, set a calendar, and lay out next steps and priorities.
      • Academic and Student Affairs, 2 to 2:55 p.m. — Provost Michael Gealt and Steven Johnson, vice president of enrollment and student services, will discuss declining university enrollment and its impact on CMU.
      • Finance and Facilities, 3 to 3:50 p.m. — Barrie Wilkes, vice president of finance and administrative services, and Jonathan Webb, associate vice president of facilities management, will update the committee on residence life projects.
      • Trustees-Faculty Liaison, 4 to 4:50 p.m. — Rachel Nelson, a student from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions will share highlights of student experiences at Henry Ford Hospital. Trustees and faculty also will discuss enrollment challenges.
      • Trustees-Student Liaison, 5 to 6 p.m. — Student Government Association President Jake Hendricks, Program Board President Galen Miller and Residence Hall Assembly Director Mary St. John will update trustees on spring semester events and activities. Australyah Coleman, president of CMU's NAACP chapter, will speak about recent campus incidents and a new university task force.

      Meeting agendas are available on the Board of Trustees' website. Public seating for all meetings is available in the adjoining Lake Superior Room.

      CMU's policy governing public comment is found in Article IX on page 13 of the Board of Trustees bylaws.

      Questions?