Skill builds some careers, while passion builds others. For Wagner College alum Charles Poveromo, more commonly known by his stage name of Charlie Romo, he’s blessed with both.
“I had two careers that I love,” he said with a smile. “And Wagner helped make that happen.”
Charlie Romo has garnered much attention in recent months on the national stage, but for locals and fellow alumni, he’s a mainstay in the NYC music scene. He is the recipient of Broadway World's 2016 Best Debut Artist Award, and was also named 2017 NYC Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs Best Male Debut Artist. Adding to that impressive list of accomplishments, he’s the youngest member ever to be inducted into the legendary Friars Club in New York City. To top it all off, an unexpected conversation with a friend led to a surprise appearance on American Idol. After multiple rounds of Zoom auditions, he received his golden ticket to the main stage.
“And before you know it, I was invited to sing for Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and to meet Ryan Seacrest. And it was just an incredible opportunity. And to rep New York and Staten Island, that was also, of course, really important for me.”
While Romo didn’t make it to the final round of competition, the Staten Island native takes it all in stride. His goals were to put his unique style of music out there, and to inspire the next generation. Specifically, his classroom at New Dorp High School is full of that generation. Did we not mention? Before he takes to the stage nightly, Romo is a social studies teacher to a very captivated audience.
“I have two careers that I love and I make an impact on my students and on whatever audience is in front of me.”
And he credits that fulfillment to his time at Wagner as a double major in music and education.
Romo’s work as an educator is more than a day job — it’s a second stage. While he may be known for belting standards under bright lights, he says the most important audience he performs for is in rows of desks.
“I try to meet every student where they’re at, and then push them to be their best self,” Romo explained. “And that’s something that I really learned from my professors at Wagner.”
That kind of attention, to both the student and their growth, isn’t accidental. It’s modeled behavior. Romo recalls how professors at Wagner showed up for him as a whole person, not just a tuition-paying student. They offered support, encouragement, and high expectations in equal measure. That left a mark.
“They really cared about us. They cared about our future.”
Among those who made the deepest impression were professors Felicia Ruff, Katia Gonzalez, David Schulenberg, Janet Pranschke and Lori Weintrob — some now retired, all remembered vividly.
“I was just a kid with raw talent,” Romo said. “I had no choice but to really work hard in order to become a much better musician and to hone my craft. I worked with incredible people who also saw potential in me, gave me opportunities to shine and develop my talent, and they were just giving me that confidence that I needed to make a career out of it post-Wagner.”
Pranschke, a voice professor and former opera singer, wasn’t just a Wagner mentor, she was a neighborhood fixture in the Tottenville community, where Romo lived. “Since I was a teenager, I studied voice with her in the neighborhood when I was in high school and then at Wagner,” Romo said.
Weintrob, who still teaches at Wagner, stood out for a very different reason. “One of the most memorable classes I’ve taken at Wagner was her Immigrant New York City class,” Romo said. “She took us all to the different ethnic neighborhoods around New York City and Manhattan. Her passion for history rubbed off on me, and I give her credit as one of the many educators who inspired me to teach.”
Together, their influence reflects the dual rhythm of Romo’s life. Pranschke helped him shape his voice; Weintrob helped him learn what to say with it. From technique to empathy, they gave him tools not just to perform but to reach and educate people.
That hard work, paired with the right guidance, helped Romo develop a distinct voice, both literally and artistically. Wagner’s influence, he said, wasn’t just about learning how to sing or perform, but about how to carry himself as an artist. It was here that he began to refine the blend of vintage style and personal storytelling that would become his signature.
By the time he graduated, Romo wasn’t just a student who loved music — he was a working musician with a defined style, a foundation in discipline, and the confidence to take the stage and classroom with authenticity.
“I always say that I perform music with a timeless quality,” Romo said. “A lot of the songs that I sing come from the Great American Songbook or the golden age of rock and roll and soul music. And I do that with the goal of making it new for a new generation, but also to honor the history of it.”
That goal isn’t just for the audience in a cabaret room; it applies to the students in his classroom, too. While many of them aren’t familiar with the style of music he performs, Romo sees that as an opportunity, not an obstacle. He talks about it the way one might talk about literature or art, worth preserving and passing on.
“The music that I perform is part of our collective history and part of our story,” he said. “And I think it’s important for them to know that.”
Wagner is never far from Romo’s mind, and honestly, how could it be? He’s since been back, not to serenade but to earn his master of science in education.
Not only did he plan for his professional future here but also his personal life. During his undergraduate years, he met Alyssa D’Elia, a psychology major with an education minor. A few years later, they returned to campus for their engagement photos, taken right on the Oval where it all began. When it came time to say “I do,” Romo didn’t just bring a date from Wagner; he brought the whole experience. Many of his former professors were invited to the wedding, a testament to how deeply they’d impacted his life.
“You know, I’m very grateful for where I’m at. That gives me a lot of fulfillment.”
