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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.
Sweeney’s back in town
by
Sanjay Gupta
The CMU School of Music presents “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” March 15-17 in Staples Family Concert Hall.
Students in the Central Michigan University School of Music will perform Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" March 15-17.
The Stephen Sondheim musical tells the story of a barber looking for revenge, and how he pairs up with Mrs. Lovett, the owner of a failing pie shop.
Directed by music faculty member Eric Tucker, students have been rehearsing since the beginning of January.
The show is double cast, meaning one cast performs one night of the weekend, and another cast performs the other two days.
Elia Danielson, a junior majoring in music education, will portray the character Joanna differently than the other actress playing the role.
"We both get to figure out what we want her to be and sort of have that freedom of choice," said Danielson, noting that her portrayal tends to show Joanna as more paranoid and frantic while the other Joanna is focused more on love.
Darian Bird, a junior double-majoring in political science and music, plays Joanna's counterpart Anthony. Having only worked on smaller-scale productions previously, he is excited to be working with more than 90 people, including cast, crew, orchestra, etc.
"It's been almost surreal," said Bird. "everyone has so much experience and it's nice just working with people who care."
Dylan Goike, a senior majoring in musical theatre, plays the lead role of Sweeney Todd.
"Whenever someone thinks of Sweeney, they think of a terrible, evil man," he said. "The challenge for me is to not just play him as angry, but to showcase that the anger comes from a place of passion."
"This musical really shows off what the School of Music has to offer, and in turn what CMU has to offer," Goike said. "With a small orchestra, a choir and tons of actors, this show is a great representation of the talent and student population that we have here."
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
"Sweeney Todd" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 15, and Saturday, March 16, as well as at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Tickets are available through Ticket Central.
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.
