Westminster College will recognize five outstanding individuals at its annual Alumni Awards Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, in the Witherspoon Room of the McKelvey Campus Center.

Alumni Citations will be presented to R. Lee Hite ’66, Christie (Grewe) Nelson ’06 and Glenn Thompson ’68. Veronica Corcoran ’15 will receive the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and Christine Rossi, a current senior, will be honored with the Rising Titan Award.

The Alumni Citation honors graduates who have achieved distinction in their professions or made significant contributions to their communities or Westminster. The Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes graduates of the past 10 years who are making meaningful impacts early in their careers. The Rising Titan Award celebrates a current student who demonstrates leadership and promise as a future alumnus.

Alumni Citation Honorees

R. Lee Hite ’66, a business and finance graduate, is the retired CEO and chair of The Hite Company. A third-generation Rotarian celebrating 50 years of service, Hite is deeply involved in community leadership and entrepreneurship initiatives, including Penn State’s LaunchBox and an angel investment group. His leadership and dedication have earned him recognition, including being named Kiwanis Man of the Year. At Westminster, he chairs the Board of Distinguished Visitors and supports athletics, the Student Emergency Fund and the Westminster Entrepreneurship Center. He and his wife, Jane, reside in Altoona, Pa. 

Glenn Thompson ’68, a chemistry graduate, retired as chief operating officer of Plextronics, Inc., following leadership roles at PPG Industries and Glidden/ICI. A nationally recognized photographer, Thompson’s work has been featured alongside an Ansel Adams exhibit and is held in collections across the U.S. and Europe. A Westminster trustee from 2010 to 2024, he was named trustee emeritus in 2025. He has been a regular participant at Westminster’s Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration and served of the Class of 1968’s 50th Reunion Committee. He and his wife, Linda (Stephenson) Thompson ’70, sponsor endowed scholarships in environmental science and nursing. They reside in Butler, Pa.

Christie (Grewe) Nelson ’06, a mathematics graduate, serves as associate professor of professional practice at Rutgers University, where she founded and directs the Externship Exchange Program and launched a summer pilot for Westminster students. Her nationally recognized research in security, operations research, and data science has shaped policy and practice in both government and industry. Nelson co-founded Westminster’s Professional Networking Symposium, establishing both an endowed award and internship fund.  She also has served on Alumni Council and remains active in alumni networking initiatives and student mentoring activities. She holds a master’s degree in operations research from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in operations research from Rutgers University. She lives in Princeton, N.J., with her husband, Ben Nelson ’06, and their two children.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Veronica Corcoran ’15, a physics graduate, is a staff attorney for Wisconsin’s Labor and Industry Review Commission. A graduate of Marquette University Law School, she was inducted into its Pro Bono Society and received first place in the State Bar of Wisconsin’s legal writing contest. She also volunteers as a moot court coach for Marquette, mentoring law students as they develop advocacy skills. Corcoran remains engaged with Westminster through student mentorship, regional alumni events, and support of the swim team. Corcoran lives in Madison, Wis.

Rising Titan Award

Christine Rossi, a senior majoring in physics and mathematics, is an active campus leader and scholar. She plays on the women’s tennis team, served as an orientation leader and was named Alpha Gamma Delta’s 2024 Sister of the Year. A recipient of the Paul E. Brown Scholarship, the Roger and Helen Metzler Scholarship, the Albright Scholarship and the Class of 1962 Scholarship, Rossi also volunteers with the Mercer County Food Bank and participates in her sorority’s service programs. A resident of Jefferson Hills, Pa., Rossi plans to pursue a career in architecture or design.

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