Supporting The Whole You – National University

The research.

Every strong brand is based on insights gleaned from research. Working with our agency partner, WongDoody (yes, that’s their real name!), we conducted 20+ stakeholder interviews with our faculty, students, alumni, and senior leadership, to help identify key themes around audience, brand purpose, and positioning. We also reviewed the competitive landscape to understand the context through which NU’s message and brand identity will be perceived.

1000+ hours of interviews, focus groups and creative meetings

The insight.

We learned today’s working adults are overwhelmed by the investment it takes to go back to school to earn a degree — and the lack of resources to support them. The cultural myth of self-reliance doesn’t work in education because the playing field isn’t even. When it comes to going back to school, support is vital to our learners’ success. At National University, we’re committed to providing meaningful support to our students. This means we’re purposeful and proactive in offering programs and services designed to help break the individual barriers they face as they strive toward higher education.

The positioning.

NU’s new “Whole Human Education” delivers a holistic approach to student well-being through a supportive ecosystem that measures success financially, academically, socially and emotionally, as well as through family life and career.

A Message From Leadership

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The evolution of our logo.

NU has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults since 1971. Founded by retired U.S. Navy Capt. David Chigos, we now educate students across the U.S. and around the globe as the largest private nonprofit university in San Diego.

With the merger of NCU and NU into one national brand, we wanted to maintain our legacy while updating our logo to signal a new vitality within the university. The refreshed logo was designed to help us differentiate in our category, give us immediate brand recognition, evoke our positioning and elicit pride and loyalty.

Our supportive ecosystem.

NU’s holistic approach encompasses five aspects of well-being that create a supportive ecosystem.

Financial

We save students time and tuition with millions in scholarships, free e-books to military students, flexible payment options, general transfer credits, and more.

Academic

We support students every step of the way in their educational journey, providing academic resources to help them excel in their studies. This includes help with study skills, time management, and free tutoring.

Social & Emotional

We provide students with social and emotional resources and support to foster mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Student case managers help students with resources for things like housing and food insecurity to mental health.

Family Life & Community

We understand the challenges faced by students who are working parents and offer support through flexible courses to help them balance family, work, and school, as well as student clubs and a virtual veterans center.

Career

We offer degrees aligned with real-world careers and guidance designed to support students’ career goals — from career counseling to resume and cover letter review to interview preparation.

There’s a lot more to unpack. Ready for a deep dive into the new NU? Discover More

How can YOU be on-brand at NU?

Just like it takes a village to support a student, it takes a village to support a brand. Staying top-of-mind with our prospects, students, faculty and staff requires a collective commitment to represent a cohesive look and feel across the university.

On this page, you’ll find downloadable assets to help you do just that — logos, letterhead, email signatures, a brand guide, and more. Feel free to use them, making sure to follow the directives for doing so in the brand guide below.