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Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship
We empower entrepreneurial thinkers—whether you’re launching a venture, building a family business, creating social impact, or driving innovation inside an organization. Turn ideas into action.
Start your entrepreneurial journey
At Central Michigan University, the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship is more than a program—it’s where students from every major turn ideas into real impact. As Michigan’s first Department of Entrepreneurship, we’re a hub for hands-on learning, innovation, and mentorship.
Here, you’ll:
- Build an entrepreneurial mindset that sets you apart in any career path—launching ventures, shaping social missions, advancing family businesses, or driving innovation inside established companies.
- Collaborate across disciplines to create projects that matter.
- Learn from alumni, faculty, and industry leaders who’ve built their own paths.
- Gain real-world experience through workshops, hackathons, and pitch competitions.
- Compete in the New Venture Challenge, where students win up to $10,000 in cash and grants to grow their ideas.
Whether you want to start something new or transform what already exists, the Institute is your launchpad.
Take the next step!
When you’re ready to get started, stop by Grawn 164 to join the team or visit the Idea Den in Grawn 166—your space to brainstorm, build, and take the next step.
Questions?
Central Michigan University students from the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program read an oath affirming their professional responsibility during an annual Convocation Ceremony September 7 welcoming newly admitted students and returning seniors.
The ceremony emphasizes the responsibility of being a social worker, which includes the pursuit of justice and inclusion for all. Entering students receive a pin from faculty members. Seniors entering their field experience receive a custom badge identifying them as a CMU intern for use in their practicum agencies.
This year, students will complete practicums in community agencies from Detroit to northern Michigan, in programs ranging from children’s services to homeless programs and senior services.
Social Work program director Susan Grettenberger and associate professor Lissa Schwander, field education director, served as emcees for the event. The ceremony included welcomes and calls to the profession from Paul Marsh, a field supervisor for BSW interns at the Isabella County Trial Court, Christi Brookes, Acting Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Eve Vicary, a senior BSW student, and Elbert Almazan, Chair of the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service where the BSW program is housed. Marsh also received the 2022 Field Instructor of the Year award from the program.
CMU’s Social Work program is a professional, accredited program that is rooted in the liberal arts and prepares students for social work practice in a variety of settings. Students are eligible for licensure by the state of Michigan upon completion of their BSW degrees. Over half enroll in graduate social work (MSW) programs all across the country, immediately after completing the BSW.