The 2025 recipients of the McLeod Writing Prize are Camille Johson from the College of Arts & Sciences for "Can You Hear the Music? Reexamining the Gender Gap in Physics" and Izzy Mbatai from the McKelvey School of Engineering for "'They Not Like Us' - ho Actually Won the Drake vs. Kendrick Beef?".

The McLeod Writing Prize was created to encourage first-year students to begin engaging in research in the early stages of their undergraduate careers; to understand that scholarship is a creative form of expression that can reach others in real and meaningful ways; and most importantly, by fully participating in the process of research and writing, to see themselves as scholars in the making. Two prizes are awarded each year; one to a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, and one to a student in McKelvey School of Engineering, Olin Business School, or Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

Research papers from all McLeod finalists are available to read here.