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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.

      Search for new provost begins

      by User Not Found
      President Bob Davies has appointed 25 individuals representing faculty, staff and students to a search committee for the nationwide search for Central Michigan University's next provost.

      President Bob Davies has appointed 25 individuals representing faculty, staff and students to a search committee for the nationwide search for Central Michigan University's next provost.

      The provost is the university's chief academic officer and works with the president to set CMU's academic priorities and to allocate resources to achieve those priorities.

      In September, current Provost Mary C. Schutten announced she would step down effective Dec. 31, 2021.

      The search committee will be chaired by Betty Kirby, interim dean of the College of the Arts and Media.

      The other search committee members are:

      • John Allen, faculty, earth and atmospheric sciences.
      • Ernie Bedford, executive director, Global Campus Enterprise.
      • Jodi Brookins-Fisher, faculty, School of Health Sciences.
      • Ray Christie, senior vice provost, academic administration.
      • Tracy Davis, faculty, English language and literature.
      • Jennifer DeHaemers, vice president, student recruitment and retention.
      • Lisa Gandy, chairperson, computer science.
      • Colleen Green, director, Native American Programs.
      • Eltaro Hooper, civil rights and Title IX investigator.
      • Kathy Irwin, dean, libraries.
      • Matthew Katz, faculty, philosophy and religion.
      • Kate King, president, Student Government Association.
      • Michael Mamp, faculty, fashion, interior design and merchandising.
      • Stephanie Mathson, faculty, library research and instruction services.
      • Margaret Mayes, faculty, School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.
      • Amy McGinnis, faculty, management.
      • Robert Noggle, faculty, philosophy and religion.
      • Hajime Otani, chairperson, psychology.
      • Shawna Patterson-Stephens, vice president and chief diversity officer.
      • Katrina Piatek-Jimenez, chair of the Academic Senate and faculty, mathematics.
      • Neli Ragina, faculty, College of Medicine.
      • Alejandro Salais, graduate student.
      • Brad Swanson, director, Graduate Studies, and faculty, biology.
      • Kyle Pybus-Jerome, ceremonies and events coordinator, President's Office (Administrative Support/Human Resources representative)

      The search consulting firm Greenwood/Asher & Associates will assist the committee. The committee invites the campus community to provide input on the leadership competencies and experience desired for an ideal candidate for CMU's next provost. Open forums are scheduled from 11-11:45 a.m. and from 2-2:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, in the Bovee University Center Terrace Rooms C and D.

      Individuals who are not able to attend the open forums may submit comments to provostsearch@cmich.edu.

      Questions?