A Legacy of Love and Literacy: Celebrating 3rd Annual Tailar Kai Matthews Scholarship Winners
May 18, 2026
NVC students Osmar Gonzalez, Perla Lopez-Rios, Sharita Onughawer, and Ivory Knudson are the 2026 recipients of the Tailar Kai Matthews Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship honors the memory of Tailar, who studied psychology and graduated from Northwest Vista College in May 2018. She went on to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2020 and a master’s in social work three years later. Sadly, she passed away following a car accident in July 2023.
To honor her, in April, all four students were awarded $250 to commemorate the third year of this scholarship. During a ceremony on May 7, which was held in the psychology wing of Live Oak Hall, three of the latest recipients were on hand to accept their scholarship certificates and be photographed next to the Tailar Kai Matthews Memorial Scholarship plaque, which now bears their names. Knudson was unable to attend the ceremony.
NVC psychology professor Dr. Don Lucas, and Tailar’s mother, Portia Matthews, formed the Tailar Kai Matthews Memorial Scholarship in the fall of 2023. The Tailar Way INC’s website states: “Our organization was started in the wake of the loss of Tailar Kai Matthews — our daughter, sister, and friend — as the result of a drunk driving accident. In the time after her passing, we learned that navigating grief is challenging in so many ways.”
Tailar accomplished much on her academic journey; specifically, she was known for being beyond helpful, wonderfully giving, and a voracious reader. The Tailar Kai Matthews Memorial Scholarship was established to honor these traits, with awards presented each spring semester on April 23 (World Book and Copyright Day).
Engraved on the memorial plaque, which is housed in the psychology department’s display case on the second floor of Live Oak Hall, are the words:
The greatest gift you’ll leave behind in this world is your book of life. Fill its pages with unapologetic love, roaring laughter, intentional friendships, and a relentless pursuit of the most incredible adventures imaginable.
For scholarship application details, contact Dr. Lucas at dlucas@alamo.edu
Northwest Vista College, part of the Alamo Colleges District, opened in 1995 with 12 students and has grown to more than 22,000 students. Located in Westover Hills, NVC’s expanding agreements with business and higher education partnerships provide a wealth of opportunities for students and the community.