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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New VP sets sights on recruitment, retention

by Sanjay Gupta

President Bob Davies has named Jennifer DeHaemers to serve as CMU’s first vice president for student recruitment and retention.

Central Michigan University is sharpening its focus on enrollment with the selection of its first vice president for student recruitment and retention.

President Bob Davies has named Jennifer DeHaemers to serve in the new position, effective June 1.

DeHaemers comes to CMU from Southern Illinois University, where she has been associate provost for enrollment management since 2018. In that role, she led an increase in freshman-to-sophomore retention and an increase in undergraduate applications and admissions for freshman and transfer students for fall 2020 — the university's first such increase in many years.

She also held several leadership roles in admissions and student affairs at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from 1997 to 2017. She holds a master's degree in higher education administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Central Missouri.

"In more than two decades meeting the challenges of university admissions and enrollment, Jennifer DeHaemers has proven herself a collaborative leader with vision, skill and a track record of accomplishment," Davies said. "I look forward to working with her to lead our university in attracting students and ensuring their success."

DeHaemers will oversee major aspects of student recruitment and retention including Admissions, Scholarships and Financial Aid, the Registrar's Office, the Office of Student Success, and the Career Development Center.

"I am excited to join President Davies' team and work with colleagues at Central Michigan University to improve the overall enrollment and retention of students," DeHaemers said. "There are many outstanding programs and initiatives to positively influence the student experience.

"My goal in this new role will be to provide leadership to the campus to make an even larger impact on enrollment."

Student recruitment and retention are top priorities Davies has identified amid enrollment challenges facing higher education nationwide.

He announced the new vice presidency and other organizational changes in August to address strategic objectives in enrollment, marketing and branding. A search began in October with a 12-member committee chaired by Tony Voisin, interim vice president for enrollment and student services, and assisted by search firm Greenwood/Asher & Associates.