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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.

      On Nov. 14, Chef-Professor Jeff Fisher demonstrated how to prepare a berry-kefir smoothie and a Mediterranean power bowl for College of Medicine students. Fisher is the Director of the Allen Foundation Culinary Nutrition Center and faculty in the Nutrition and Dietetics program within The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions.

      Throughout the demonstration, Dr. Fisher engaged the students on how to meal prep nutritious foods as well as how to make healthier eating an easy part of their day. Meal preparation can seem like a time consuming task, but the food demonstration displayed otherwise.

      “It was a fun evening learning about healthy eating and meal prep while engaging students in our beautiful lab. We hope to expand food demonstrations to engage more students this way in the future,” Dr. Fisher stated.

      The newly renovated, state-of-the-art culinary center is located in Wightman Hall and has 24 workstations with commercial-style ovens and modern foodservice equipment. Nutrition and Dietetics courses taught in the Allen Foundation Culinary Nutrition Center include Introduction to Food and Culinary Techniques, Food Science, as well as a new course coming fall 2023 — Introduction to Wine.

      Contact Jeff Fisher or Najat Yehia to learn more about the nutrition and dietetics program and course offerings. Recipes for the berry-kefir smoothie and Mediterranean power bowl are below.

      Berry-Kefir Smoothie

      Get a probiotic boost at breakfast when you add kefir to your smoothie. Feel free to use any berries and nut butter you have on hand in this healthy smoothie recipe.

      Active: 5 mins

      Total: 5 mins

      Servings: 1

      Ingredients

      1 ½ cups frozen mixed berries

      1 cup plain kefir

      ½ medium banana

      2 teaspoons almond butter

      ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

      Directions

      Step 1. Combine berries, kefir, banana, almond butter and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth.

      Nutrition Facts

      Serving Size:  2 cups

      Per Serving: 304 calories; protein 15.4 g; carbohydrates 53.3 g; dietary fiber 8.6 g; sugars 36.7 g; fat 6.9 g; saturated fat 0.8 g; cholesterol 5 mg; vitamin a iu 537.9 IU; vitamin c 32.1 mg; folate 17.5 mcg; calcium 370.2 mg; iron 1.1 mg; magnesium 45.9 mg; potassium 436.6 mg; sodium 25 mg.

      Exchanges

      2 1/2 fruit, 1 fat-free milk, 1 fat

      Mediterranean Power Bowl

      This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.

      Active: 15 mins

      Total: 15 mins

      Servings: 4

      Ingredients

      1 (8 ounce) pouch microwavable quinoa

      ½ cup hummus

      2 tablespoons lemon juice

      1 (5 ounce) package baby kale

      1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated cooked whole baby beets, sliced (or 2 cups from salad bar)

      1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

      1 medium avocado, sliced

      ¼ cup unsalted toasted sunflower seeds

      Directions

      Step 1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions; set aside to cool.

      Step 2. Combine hummus and lemon juice in a small bowl. Thin with water to desired dressing consistency. Divide the dressing among 4 small condiment containers with lids and refrigerate.

      Step 3. Divide baby kale among 4 single-serving containers with lids. Top each with 1/2 cup of the quinoa, 1/2 cup beets, 1/4 cup edamame and 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds.

      Step 4. When ready to eat, top with 1/4 avocado and the hummus dressing.

      Tips

      To make ahead: Refrigerate bowls and dressing separately for up to 4 days. Wait to add avocado until ready to eat to prevent browning.

      Nutrition Facts

      Serving Size: 1 container

      Per Serving: 381 calories; protein 16.2 g; carbohydrates 43.1 g; dietary fiber 13.2 g; sugars 7.7 g; fat 18.6 g; saturated fat 2.4 g; vitamin a iu 3764 IU; vitamin c 55 mg; folate 341.8 mcg; calcium 126.3 mg; iron 4.6 mg; magnesium 161.2 mg; potassium 1065.8 mg; sodium 188.2 mg.

      Exchanges

      2 1/2 fat, 2 starch, 1 lean protein, 1/2 high-fat protein, 1/2 vegetable

       

      Source: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

      Questions?