Back to Main Menu

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.

      Welcome Back, Wellspring!

      by Sarah Buckley

      Returning to Mount Pleasant after a 3-year pandemic hiatus, the Wellspring Literary Series is set to welcome Michigan writers or regional writers with Michigan ties to three events this fall and spring.

      At each event, guests enjoy readings by some of Michigan’s most prominent voices in poetry, fiction and non-fiction along with readings by Central Michigan University students, music by local musicians and students and faculty from the CMU School of Music, and food catered by a local restaurant. 

      Founded in 2009 by Robert Fanning, poet and CMU Professor of English, the series quickly became a prominent social, cultural and entertainment event in the area.

      “I’ve been told by many people over the years—both students and community members—that this is their favorite night out in Mount Pleasant,” said Fanning. “But what’s truly exciting is that it is also recognized around the state as a literary hub. I have a list of requests from writers all around the state to read at Wellspring.”

      This year’s first Wellspring reading is scheduled for 7 p.m. Mon., Oct. 9 at Art Reach of Mid Michigan located at 111 E. Broadway in downtown Mount Pleasant. 

      Art Reach Executive Director Amy Powell said she is thrilled to see Wellspring returning. “The Wellspring Literary Series offers an amazing opportunity for CMU and the local community to come together to enjoy the creative efforts of poets and musicians, in collaboration.”

      For more information, contact Amy Powell at apowell@artreachcenter.org or Robert Fanning at fanni1rj@cmich.edu.

      Events

      VIEW ALL EVENTS
      VIEW ALL EVENTS

       

      View our programming newsletter

      Entrepreneurship News

      Questions?

      Contact the team