From left to right: Wilber Arias Jr., Lacey Pierce and Cameron Kirkland.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Three Stephen F. Austin State University students recently received $1,000 scholarships from Milam Masonic Lodge No. 2 in Nacogdoches. The scholarships were awarded at the lodge's September meeting to Wilber Arias Jr. of Nacogdoches, Cameron Kirkland of Killeen and Lacey Pierce of Douglass.

Arias is an SFA senior majoring in biology and Spanish. He graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 2008. Kirkland, also a senior, will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army when he graduates in August 2012. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne School in Fort Benning, Ga., where he conducted five parachute jumps and earned his Basic Parachutist Badge. He is a kinesiology major and has received the ROTC Ranger Challenge award.

Pierce is a kinesiology major with a minor in English and is a 2006 graduate of Douglass High School. In spring 2011, Pierce was included on the SFA Dean's List, and she is planning to complete her student teaching in spring 2012. She is married to Kyle Pierce and has a 3-year-old son.

Milam Masonic Lodge No. 2 is the oldest active Masonic lodge in Texas. It received its charter in 1836 and has been presenting scholarships to SFA students for the past five years.