Madison, Wis. (February 2, 2026) – Edgewood University is honored to announce that Bob Tarrell, Professor of Art, has been named a 2025 Distinguished Fellow by the Wisconsin Art Education Association (WAEA). Tarrell, who has taught at the university for more than 35 years, celebrated the award with his family at the annual Fall Conference Awards Ceremony in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
The WAEA Fellows Program was founded in 2017 to salute those who gave so much to the Wisconsin Art Education Association, and to students across the state.
“Teaching art wasn’t just a job, it was a calling,” Tarrell said. “I love my students and felt honored to be a part of their growth. And retirement came easily (in 2025) once I saw legacy in motion. Last year, I was surprised and deeply moved to learn that my three youngest grandchildren were being taught by three different art educators, in three different schools, each one a former student of mine. Watching your legacy bloom, in the lives of those you love, is a joy beyond words.”
Laura (Boudreau) Cheely ’20 and Professor Tarrell after the 2025 WAEA Fall Conference Awards Ceremony in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
Laura (Boudreau) Cheely ’20 (not one of those teaching Bob’s grandchildren) is an elementary school teacher in Janesville, Wis., and attended the ceremony.
“It was truly an honor to be able to witness you receive such a prestigious and well-deserved award today,” she said. “Those were tears of happiness. When I say you changed my life and the trajectory of who I am for the better I truly mean it. From the bottom of my heart thank you for being such a wonderful, kind, caring, compassionate, and thoughtful educator and mentor. I am blessed to know you.”
About Edgewood University
Located in Madison, Wis., Edgewood University is a comprehensive, Catholic university in the Dominican tradition. We serve approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Edgewood University offers more than 40 academic and professional programs, including master’s degrees in business, education, and nursing, and doctoral degrees in educational leadership, nursing practice, business administration, and occupational therapy. Edgewood University is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the National Collegiate Athletics Association and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information about Edgewood University, please visit www.edgewood.edu.
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