Fugate will carry the flame .2 of a mile on Broadway, from Fifth Street to Elsmere Park, at 1:30 p.m. as part of the 12-mile Fayette County Segment of the nationwide torch relay. She is one of 11,500 citizens from across the U.S. who will carry the torch through 46 states beginning Dec. 4 in Atlanta, the last place the Olympic flame rested on U.S. soil, and traveling 13,500 miles to the Opening Ceremonies in Salt Lake City on Feb. 8.

Also taking part in the torch relay in Kentucky will be Madison County Schools superintendent Mike Caudill, a 1978 Berea College alumnus. Caudill has been selected as an official support runner, experienced athletes being honored whose role is to run with the torchbearers and to provide any needed assistance over the course of the relay.

Caudill and another support runner will accompany several torchbearers over an assigned one-mile segment of the relay route.

An English education major, Fugate is student teaching this semester at Berea Community High School. After graduating in May, she hopes to teach high school English in Kentucky, the state she now calls home.

Nominated by Amanda Cassell, her best friend in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio, Fugate was selected for the honor from more than 210,000 nominees in the torchbearer relay program sponsored by national sponsors Coca-Cola. Fugate wasn't aware she'd even been nominated until being notified that she had been selected, but she said she is very thrilled and honored to be taking part in the event. Fugate also will get to keep the official relay uniform, a white running suit, as well as the $400 torch, which Coca-Cola is purchasing for each of the runners as a memento of the occasion.