As people entered the HUB-Robeson Center auditorium last night, they were given a small card folded in half and told not to open it.

The card was to be used later as a prop for Tom Donohue's program "Who's Positive," an HIV/AIDS awareness program sponsored by the HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Advisory Council, the Panhellenic Council and the Student Global AIDS Initiative.

Donohue is a former Penn State student and a State College resident who was diagnosed HIV-positive on October 13, 2003, and wants to tell people his story to make them aware of HIV.

"My goal is to have the audience placed in my shoes; I want them to see what I'm feeling," Donohue said.

All three organizations thought it was very important to have this program to educate students on the importance of getting tested for HIV.

"Awareness is one of our primary goals -- every little bit helps," said Matt Lee, Student Global AIDS Initiative vice president.

When the crowd of about 50 settled, Megan Caruso, Panhellenic Council member, went to the podium and said someone in the room was HIV-positive.

As everyone looked around, Donohue stood up from the middle of the crowd and stated that he was HIV-positive.

"If I hadn't told you, no one would've known," he said to the audience.

The audience listened closely as Donohue began his story from the time he got his "wake up" phone call.

He explained all his experiences dealing with his new HIV-positive life -- from speaking to his doctor to telling his partners, friends and family.

"It's kind of weird how one decision you make can affect so many people," Donohue said.

Because he did not want people to talk behind his back or go through what he has gone through, he decided not to keep it a secret anymore. "I figured if I just started telling people, it was not gossip anymore," he told the crowd.

The program then took a different turn. Donohue told the audience members the cards they were holding said either HIV positive or negative.

He then asked the crowd members what they were feeling before opening the cards. Audience members expressed feelings of anxiety, fear and regret. After everyone opened the cards, only one woman said she had gotten a positive card.

"Someone might not want to tell you, hypothetical or not," Donohue said.

It is not easy to tell people, he said.

"Going up to someone and telling them 'I am HIV positive' is one of the hardest things to do," Donohue said.

Because it is so hard to deal with being HIV-positive, Donohue said he hopes that people learned from his story and that he was able to change the world of those in the audience.

"Folks, tonight was your wake up call," he said.

After conducting a survey last year, the AIDS risk advisory council realized that Penn State students are not as educated about HIV as they should be, said Susan Kennedy, the council's adviser.

"Very few students, 5 percent, thought [HIV] was a big problem; 21 percent said they knew a lot about HIV, and 19 percent had an HIV test," Kennedy said.

Because many people do not know a lot about HIV, where to go to get tested or what to say to those who are infected, Donohue told the audience about the Web site for his program, "Who's Positive" (www.whospositive.com).

Almost everyone involved in the program last night said they believed students should take the time to realize that they are highly at risk for HIV.

Donohue explained that it is important for people to get tested because, in the least expected moment, someone could get infected by not using protection. He said that to this day, he does not know who infected him. He said:

"One moment of passion and irresponsibility may take me to the grave."