Because of our rich heritage and our complex and diverse community, several names are used to represent the University.
The full name of our institution is "Northwestern University." Use the full name on first mention in publications and in any situation where it's not immediately obvious that you're referring to a university.
Colloquially, we all refer to this institution as simply "Northwestern." This shorthand is acceptable in all content where it's apparent that the communication is coming from a university. Using it can lend a more conversational tone to communications.
For social media handles, use the briefest and clearest explanation of your entity, but be sure to include the "Northwestern" name in the account description.
It's too generic to identify us and too casual to represent our University. (Although legacy names using the abbreviation may continue to do so.)
The idea of the Northwestern Direction can be used in a variety of ways throughout communications. However, this language should never be locked up with the Northwestern logo.