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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.
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.
Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur?
Every journey is unique. Explore the opportunities that interest you.
The Central Michigan University Board of Trustees today approved the creation of a new bachelor's degree program and medical discipline, both of which will prepare students for in-demand fields.
The Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering degree program in CMU's College of Science and Engineering would join three current undergraduate engineering programs — computer, electrical and mechanical. The high-demand program is designed to meet the need for highly qualified environmental engineering professionals in Michigan and beyond.
CMU has been offering undergraduate engineering programs for more than a decade.
"Environmental engineering is one of the fastest growing engineering majors, attracts a wide variety of students and will position CMU nationally as well as throughout Michigan," Provost Mary C. Schutten said.
Trustees also approved the acquisition of public broadcasting radio station WFCX-FM. The station, located in Traverse City, Michigan, is being sold by Northern Michigan Radio Inc. Acquisition of the station will expand WCMU's reach to all of the Grand Traverse and north central Michigan regions.
The board also approved resolutions to create a pediatrics discipline within the CMU College of Medicine and for the college to enhance its existing partnership with Detroit-based University Pediatricians Group through a five-year academic affiliation agreement.
The affiliation will expand the existing educational relationship between the two entities by providing faculty appointments to physicians engaged in educational or research-related activities supportive of the CMU College of Medicine mission. It also allows CMU to offer pediatrics, which joins three current disciplines: foundational science, medicine and surgery.
"This affiliation will provide an excellent opportunity for CMU medical students to train with outstanding academic physicians in a diverse, high-volume clinical environment," said Tina Thompson, senior associate dean of academic affairs in CMU's College of Medicine. "This will ensure that our students have sufficient direct patient care to prepare them for their next level of training."
University Pediatricians is a nonprofit academic pediatric practice dedicated to the care of children in southeast Michigan and committed to medical education and research.
"This is a monumental achievement for CMU's College of Medicine," CMU President Bob Davies said of the agreement. "It enables us — in working with other colleges of medicine in Michigan — to meet a huge need in our region and our state."
In other business, trustees:
Each December, CMU's board reviews the president's performance and determines whether to make a salary adjustment. Board Chair Tricia Keith said the trustees are very pleased with Davies' performance and offered him a salary increase. Despite Keith noting that Davies' salary is low compared to CMU's peer institutions, Davies declined an increase.
Keith noted a long list of accomplishments from Davies' first year, including his full immersion into the CMU community; outstanding communication and transparency; focus on building partnerships; focus on enrollment; and development of strong relationships across campus, particularly with faculty. She and others thanked him for his professionalism, passion and enthusiasm.
"You demonstrate great vision to move Central Michigan University into the future, and you've taken immediate action to make that vision a reality," Trustee Ed Plawecki said.
Trustee Michael Sandler agreed, adding, "you have met or exceeded all of our expectations."
The trustees also authorized Chair Keith to sign an amendment to President Davies' contract extending it through 2024 to reward and retain him.
In his opening report to the board, Davies updated the trustees on the strategic envisioning process to position CMU for 2030 and beyond.
Joe Garrison, director of budgets and planning, and Luis Perez-Batres, a current presidential fellow, will facilitate the process, and planning groups will address five strategic pathways.
Davies also announced positive momentum in enrollment, driven by new enrollment strategies and key investments in admissions.
"CMU is already seeing a significant increase in applications and students admitted for fall 2020, compared to fall 2019," he said.
Earlier this semester, CMU joined Aspire: The National Alliance for Inclusive & Diverse STEM Faculty to increase diversity in STEM faculty and adopt inclusive teaching practices. Davies thanked Chief Diversity Officer A.T. Miller for his leadership in this effort, along with faculty driving change at CMU.
Davies also welcomed John Veilleux, CMU's new vice president for university communications and chief marketing officer, who officially begins his role Jan. 8.
The president celebrated several recent achievements and honors:
Trustees concluded today's meeting by electing board officers for 2020, continuing the appointment of Keith as chair and of Robb Wardrop and Richard Studley as vice chairs.
Explore special opportunities to learn new skills and travel the world.
Present your venture and win BIG at the New Venture Challenge.
Boost your entrepreneurial skills through our workshops, mentor meetups and pitch competitions.
Learn about the entrepreneurship makerspace on campus in Grawn Hall.
Present a 2-minute pitch at the Make-A-Pitch Competition and you could win prizes and bragging rights!
Connect with mentors and faculty who are here to support the next generation of CMU entrepreneurs.
Are you a CMU alum looking to support CMU student entrepreneurs? Learn how you can support or donate to the Entrepreneurship Institute.