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.

2025 NVC Competition Live Stream

2025 NVC Awards Live Stream

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.

A student standing with a faculty member holding big winning checks from the New Venture Challenge 2024.

Start up

Build up your venture idea.

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A student smiling and standing in front of his venture display at the 2024 New Venture Challenge.

Family business

Explore the Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways category at NVC.

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A close-up of the Prusa i3 MK3 printer in the entrepreneurship makerspace, the IDEA Den in Grawn Hall 166.

Product and prototype design

Create and patent your ideas.

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Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

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Success in the School of Music

by Sanjay Gupta

The Central Michigan University School of Music recognizes the accomplishments of students and faculty.

Students and faculty in the CMU School of Music started 2019 with an abundance of achievements. The school recently recognized the accomplishments its community has made so far this year.

Students

CMU's Kairos Saxophone Quartet won the alternate spot in the Music Teachers National Association East Central Divisional Chamber Music Competition.
CMU is sending eight student trumpeters to compete at the 2019 National Trumpet Competition.
Parker Fritz completed an honors capstone project in which he arranged Charles Ives' Piano Sonata No. 2 for orchestra.
Grace Pawluszka was selected as a semifinalist for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Slovakia.
Sepehr Pirasteh's work "Motarbi" premiered as part of the Detroit Composers Project concert series. He also was commissioned for a solo cello piece to be premiered during the YInMn Project.

Faculty

Amon Eady served as the clinician and guest conductor for the inaugural Men's Day at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and for the Choral Gala Event at the University of New Hampshire.
Amon Eady and Ashley Allen gave a presentation at the Michigan Music Conference.
Robert Lindahl served as pre-solo and ensemble clinician for Grand Ledge High School students. He performed with the River Raisin Ragtime Revue. Lindahl and percussion student Jeremy Wisler performed for Sacred Heart's annual SHAgala fundraiser.
MaryBeth Minnis adjudicated the MSBOA District 12 high school Solo and Ensemble Festival. She also performed with the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra.
Neil Mueller performed nine concerts with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra.
John Nichol presented a clinic to the Grand Ledge Saxophone Section and adjudicated the Solo and Ensemble Festival's for MSBOA District 16 and MSBOA District 10. Nichol also performed with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.
Scott Schumann's FRCE Premier Display Grant application was approved for his upcoming Texas Society for Music Theory presentation.
Alicia Valoti is a finalist for the Provost's Award for Research and Creative Activity. She performed as principal viola for the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, gave a presentation at the Michigan Music Conference and performed in the Astraios Chamber Music series.
Evan Ware was commissioned by the Circulo Trio for a work to be premiered at the Thailand International Composition Festival at Mahidol University in August 2019.
Kennen White gave a clinic at Grand Ledge Schools, ran a sectional and performed with the Midland Community Orchestra,and performed with the Saginaw Bay Orchestra.