As part of its continuing efforts to strengthen student competencies in media and communication, CASSayuran, the official publication of the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), in partnership with the Office of the Dean, conducted a workshop-training on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at CASS Room E56.
With the aim of developing soft skills for design and publication as well as promote ethical and responsible journalism, the workshop brought together student journalists and layout artists for a full-day program of lectures and hands-on training.
The morning session featured Pablo Bruno Manuel Celdran IV, an instructor at Southern New Hampshire University (USA), a freelance digital creative, and CASS alumnus.
Drawing from his international experience in branding and instructional design, Celdran discussed the seven principles of design: emphasis, balance, contrast, repetition, proportion, motion, and white space—as well as their ethical implications in publication work. He underscored that design choices are not merely aesthetic but also shape how readers interpret stories.
“It’s important for everyone in the team, from the editor-in-chief to the writers, to understand what good design is. In today’s media-driven world, layout choices are not just aesthetic—they shape how readers interpret stories,” he explained.
Celdran illustrated each principle with practical examples, from the use of contrast to ensure accessibility for colorblind readers, to the role of white space in reducing cognitive load.
He also cautioned against misuse of proportion in visual data: “It’s one of the easiest ways to mislead. Exaggeration can help illustrate a point, but in journalism, accuracy must always come first.”
Following Celdran’s lecture, the workshop welcomed Dan Kamys, Director of Content of the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), who shared his professional journey and insights on adapting to changes in media. He emphasized the enduring value of fundamentals in communication, noting that while platforms evolve, core skills remain essential.
“One of the things I hear a lot is that by the time you leave school, what you’ve learned is already obsolete. That’s not true if you’re getting a good education. The fundamentals you learn here will carry over no matter how platforms change,” Kamys stressed.
He illustrated this point through his own career, explaining that when he graduated, TikTok and Instagram Reels were ‘not yet a thing’, but when they emerged, he was able to use them because he had the basic skill set, showing the importance of knowing the fundamentals.
Kamys also highlighted the role of AI in modern content creation: “AI is only as good as how you prompt it. As journalists, you may not be writing as much, but you’ll know when AI gives you something bad or when you need to fact-check it. It’s a tool that speeds up workflow, not a shortcut. Like the pen, the typewriter, or the computer, AI is just the next generation of tools.”
During the open forum, CASSayuran’s Editor-in-Chief, Samuel Adrian Guerra, asked about the ethical use of AI-generated elements in design, questioning whether it would be considered ethical for people to generate certain elements to supplement their work and inquiring about the possible ethical and legal concerns of doing so.
Kamys responded by acknowledging both the legal and ethical complexities: “From a legal side, you must avoid directly uploading copyrighted works. But ethically, I see AI as a tool—it doesn’t replace creativity; it shapes it. What matters is how responsibly you use it. If you prompt AI without copying existing works, you’re not violating copyright. But if you throw in a copyrighted piece, that’s wrong.”
He further emphasized: “AI never gives you the correct thing on the first try. You need to iterate, refine, and shape it like clay. It’s not cheating, it’s the next generation of tools. The challenge is to use it ethically and responsibly.”
During the afternoon session, Romel Sencio, ICT and Multimedia Officer of CASS, introduced Affinity Studio, a free publication tool comparable to Adobe Suite. Students engaged in practical exercises, experimenting with layouts and mock magazine spreads while applying design principles and considering ethical dilemmas in publishing.
The workshop concluded with participants presenting collaborative projects that integrated design theory with responsible journalism practices. The training reaffirmed CASSayuran’s commitment to cultivating student communicators who are both technically skilled and ethically grounded.
Written by Bea Faye Eumague
Proofread by Fame Orong
Photos by Samuel Adrian Guerra
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