Mays Girlboss Resells Hundreds of University-Provided COVID-19 Tests

Self proclaimed “girlboss” and Mays Business School senior Alexa Harten has allegedly sold over 400 COVID-19 at-home tests she acquired for free from Texas A&M University. Harten revealed her business acumen in a LinkedIn post where she described recognizing a unique opportunity for entrepreneurship when Texas A&M began providing free at-home tests while tests remained scarce nationwide. Harten has made over $20,000 by selling the tests at a 200 percent markup of their retail value.

Harten has reportedly recruited more than 150 students to aid in her business. “At first, I was limited by A&M’s rule that only provided each student one test kit per week,” Harten said. “But then I realized that if I recruited my friends and classmates into an elaborate pyramid scheme, I could get an unlimited supply and sell them for a profit on Ebay.”

Response from the university community has been mixed. A university spokesperson stated that the tests were intended for personal use, not for resale. However, Lloyd Grenich, a finance professor, lauded Harten for her entrepreneurial spirit. “This is exactly the kind of ingenuity we want in a Mays student,” Grenich said. “My colleagues and I have been talking about nominating Alexa to judge the next startup incubator competition.”

Although they receive only a small fraction of the profits, Harten’s network of students recruited to pick tests up for her weekly are glad to be involved. “I love being a boss babe, and besides, we’re really just helping the outside community get access to tests!” Miranda Layner said. “Sure, I only get paid 50 cents a week on Venmo, but that’s nothing compared to the feeling of being in an authentic community of like-minded gals!”

 

— Weeb King Gill & Heldenfalls