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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’s University Communications team has merged its integrated marketing and digital strategy teams. John Veilleux, chief marketing officer and vice president of University Communications, said the move will ensure a more engaging and consistent digital experience for website visitors and provide better support for campus partners.
“The cmich.edu website is the university’s largest marketing tool and one of the most vital ways we share information with our constituents,” Veilleux said. “Bringing these two teams together ensures we are able to provide the best customer service to our internal partners while also delivering the most engaging user experience to site visitors.”
Veilleux said Abby Dean, formerly executive director of integrated marketing, accepted leadership of the newly formed team. Dean was promoted to the role of deputy chief marketing officer in late May and immediately began the work of integrating the two teams.
As part of the transition, Veilleux said he also has promoted Lauren Sawyer to the role of Senior Associate Director of Web and Digital Strategy to provide additional guidance and support for the digital strategists, web architects and designers.
Following this change, University Communications will now have three functional areas: Integrated Marketing and Digital Strategy, Strategic Communications, and Visual Media.
“In addition to leading our unit’s largest team, Abby will continue to work with campus leaders and the full University Communications team to create a fully comprehensive, university-wide approach to marketing and communications,” Veilleux said.
Dean joined the University Communications team in February of 2019 as the director of integrated marketing. Over the past several years, she led the development and launch of the university’s “We do” brand, including its Emmy-nominated, award-winning awareness campaign. The University Communications team received 15 recognitions for its marketing campaigns this year, including national and international honors such as Communicator, Telly, Stevie, Hermes Creative, AVA Digital, MarCom and Viddy awards.