The Scholarship is Designed to Honor the Memory and Legacy of Criswell Davis, a Passionate Advocate for Biophilic Design
Dayton, OH, July 14, 2025 — The Timber & Forestry Foundation, or “TFF,” today announced two 2025 recipients of the annual Criswell Davis Scholarship: Diego Ortiz Cortes, a sophomore pursuing Interior Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and Tara Giblin, a first-year architecture student studying at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The Criswell Davis Scholarship is designed to honor the memory and legacy of Criswell Davis, a passionate advocate for biophilic design and the integration of hardwoods into architectural projects. The scholarship is an annual, recurring program that supports college candidates pursuing a career in architecture or interior design and furthering the vision of sustainable and nature-inspired environments. The scholarship was funded by donations and contributions from the hardwoods industry and friends and family of Criswell Davis.
Mr. Cortes was nominated for this scholarship through a letter of recommendation from John Gibson, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Dept. of Interior Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Ms. Giblin was nominated for the scholarship through a letter of recommendation from Mrs. Katie Cotrano, her English Teacher at Oak Forest High School in Crestwood, Illinois.
Diego was selected for the Criswell Davis Scholarship due to his exceptional approach to design and his commitment to representing all that the world of natural and sustainable materials has to offer. His background and organic approach to his work absolutely embody the essence of Biophilic Design, and Criswell’s family thinks Diego is bringing a singular and holistic point of view to his work that Criswell would have found incredibly compelling.
Tara was selected for the Criswell Davis Scholarship due to her passion regarding the beauty, sustainability, and long-lasting human benefits of hardwoods in design. While she is just beginning her architectural education, she comes to the process intuitively echoing Criswell’s guiding principles of biophilic design. Criswell’s family feels that Tara’s drive, focus, and honest excitement about learning all the things she doesn’t yet know would have meant a great deal to Criswell.
“We are confident that Diego and Tara will make significant contributions to the field of biophilic design in architecture and interior design and will play an important role in shaping sustainable, user-centered architectural spaces in the years to come,” said Dane Coleman, President of the Timber & Forestry Foundation. “Diego and Tara were selected by Criswell’s family personally, which I know would have made Criswell proud. The goal of this scholarship is to encourage young people who will be designing our world to incorporate natural materials like American hardwoods in their designs.”
Organizations and individuals interested in supporting the scholarship are welcome to help via direct financial contribution. As a nonprofit, any donations to TFF are tax-deductible, and can be made public or anonymous.
For more information about the Timber & Forestry Foundation and its memberships, visit www.timberandorestry.org/criswell-davis-scholarship
The Timber & Forestry Foundation (TFF) (www.timberandforestry.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization that promotes the inherent sustainability, carbon sequestration benefits, and beauty of American timber and hardwoods. We believe that with promotional efforts, advocacy campaigns, and educational programs, these widely varied species of timber and hardwoods can thrive like never before.