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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.

      Patton to assume interim leadership role in Provost’s Office

      by User Not Found
      Geography faculty member brings administrative experience to position.

      Central Michigan University geography faculty member David Patton, who has been working quarter time for a few weeks providing leadership within the Provost's Office, will officially move into the role of interim senior vice provost for academic affairs full time beginning Nov. 1.

      Dave Patton

      "Dr. Patton's skills and depth of experience position him well for this Academic Affairs leadership role," CMU Provost Mary C. Schutten said. "I'm confident that he will provide the necessary leadership to continue several critical initiatives within CMU's academic division." 

      Julia Johnson, who currently serves in the role, has decided, for reasons that are personal and confidential to her, to step down from her position as senior vice provost. To aid her in her transition, the university has considered her request for a short leave of absence, and that request has been approved. Johnson's leave of absence will end Jan. 31, 2022, and she will formally leave her position effective Feb. 1.

      Patton, who joined CMU in 2001 as an assistant professor of geography, brings significant administrative experience to the role in the Provost's Office. Along with his faculty role, he has served the university as a program director, department chair, senior administrative fellow, interim associate vice president for enrollment and student services, and acting associate and assistant dean for the College of Science and Engineering.


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