Upon first coming to MSU, Christina McGuffie said she felt unprepared for the college experience.

She said because of a lack of proficient college preparation from Detroit's Murray Wright High School, she was not ready for the transition to a college curriculum.

"The teachers and the environment made it really hard for us to learn and get anything accomplished," the criminal justice senior said. "Teachers spent most of their time throwing (students) out of the classroom, writing them up."

In order to address educational issues at inner-city high schools, such as McGuffie's experience, several groups across the state and on campus are working to create more collaboration between Lansing, MSU and Detroit.

One of these groups is Detroit Summer.

The Detroit-based group of artists, musicians and poets filled Lansing's NorthStar Center with hip-hop music during a workshop Monday to bring a new outlook on education and intercity communication.

"There's always been a connection between organizations in Lansing and Detroit," co-coordinator Jenny Lee said. "Part of this tour is about strengthening that."

Several students from Lansing high schools attended the workshop, as well as the group's concert that night.

By addressing the youth directly, co-coordinator Ilana Weaver said the workshops aim to bring innovative ways to deal with common problems such as education and crime.

"We're not just coming and saying, 'We've got solutions,'" said Weaver, who emcees as Ilana Invincible.

"This is a pilot program for people to take into their own cities," she said.

The workshops use music and poetry to discuss how inner-city schools can do a better job of preparing students for college.

It also explores the ways students can take advantage of opportunities in higher education.

Participants listen to the CD "Rising Up From The Ashes: Chronicles of a Dropout," which combines interviews with high school students and music by members of Detroit Summer. After playing the album, participants in the workshop discuss ways in which they relate to the issues discussed.

"This program itself is creating a very community-based system," Weaver said.

There also is a group of MSU students working to connect the university and Detroit. About 10 students are planning a trip to Detroit with the MSU Detroit Collaboration to teach high school students about the importance of education.

"We'll be looking for more of a college presence down there," said English senior Jenna Parker, executive director of the group.

Working with YouthVille Detroit, an urban community center, the MSU volunteers plan to offer high school students tips on filling out college applications and making résumés. The MSU students also will share their experiences of the transition into the university atmosphere, and preparing for more rigorous college curriculum.

Parker said she hopes the Detroit Collaboration will help students realize the importance of Detroit.

"The point of the organization is not just to go down and work in the city, but to inform the students what is going on in Detroit right now and what they can do to improve the city," she said.

McGuffie is considering joining the group so she can share her insight with high school students.

"Even if you go to a Detroit public school, you can go to school, you can accomplish something," she said.

The Race in 21st Century America national conference is another opportunity to foster communication between urban high school students and the university.

The fifth biennial conference, taking place until Friday at Kellogg Center, focuses on "Youth and the Future of America."

Today, 170 high school students from cities such as Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids will come to campus to participate in the conference.

This is more than have ever attended the event.

"It's the high school question that has really, really gotten me excited about this particular conference," said James Madison College Professor Curtis Stokes, chairman of the conference planning committee.

"This conference will devote a lot of attention to education and the importance of retaining (students) — not just getting into colleges and universities, but graduating," Stokes said.