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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.

      Master Sommelier shares Italian wine expertise with Nutrition and Dietetics students

      by Kathleen Hodgkins

      Chef-Professor Jeff Fisher— Director of the Allen Foundation Culinary Nutrition Center and faculty in the Nutrition and Dietetics program —recently welcomed Master Sommelier Ron Edwards as a guest speaker to his Introduction to Wine course at Central Michigan University.

      Mr. Edwards is one of approximately 300 hundred Master Sommeliers in the world. He has five years of experience directing corporate education and 29 years of guest experience, including 10 years of management and 12 years of consulting experience. He currently serves as the director of Wine Education for the Winebow Group.

      “It was a fun evening, learning about the language, culture and history of Italy through wine,” said Fisher. “Mr. Edwards engaged the students with examples of how soil, climate and sunlight affect the growing of wine grapes, as well as stories about his experience becoming a Master Sommelier.”

      Students shared their experiences studying abroad at Florence University of the Arts, located in the heart of Tuscany. Introduction to Wine is a new course offered within CMU's Nutrition and Dietetics program. Students must be 21 years of age prior to the first day of class.

      To learn more about the Nutrition and Dietetics program and course offerings, please contact Dr. Jeff Fisher at fishe2jj@cmich.edu or the program director, Dr. Najat Yehia at yahia1n@cmich.edu.

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