Brandon Burlsworth began his Razorback football career as a walk-on, but earned a scholarship and then a starting position on the team's offensive line. By his senior year he was a team captain, as well as a consensus All-American. He was the first UA football player to complete his master's degree before playing his final game, and he capped his career with the 63rd overall draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts. Burlsworth was killed in a traffic accident April 28, 1999.

Since 1999, hundreds of Burlsworth scholarships have been awarded at the University of Arkansas.

Each year $5,000 scholarships are awarded to 13 or more students who are characterized as academic overachievers. Like Brandon Burlsworth, these are students, primarily from smaller towns, who did not receive much attention when they arrived on campus as freshmen, but who have, through hard work, perseverance and character become academic "stars."

In addition, a Razorback football player who began his career as a walk-on, but then earned a football scholarship, is honored as the year's Burlsworth Athletic Scholar. 

The students are selected by the University of Arkansas Scholarship Committee. Members of the Burlsworth family and the board of directors of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation travel to Fayetteville to recognize these outstanding students.

Linda Brown

It has been a great and ongoing pleasure to be in the first group in 1999 of Burlsworth Memorial Scholars. This scholarship helped me follow in Brandon's footsteps and receive an MBA. The connections are even stronger now since I am a member of Springdale Rotary, cosponsor of the Burlsworth Trophy award. I try to conduct my life in the "Burls way" - A saying that means do it the right way, even when no one is looking, is also consistent with Rotary's 4 way test."The Brandon Burlsworth Memorial Scholarships were established in 1999, following the tragic death of the University of Arkansas All-American. University of Arkansas trustees Jim Lindsey and Stanley Reed organized a series of golf tournaments that have raised more than $2.2 million over the past nine years to endow the scholarships.