How Commitment to Education and Community Shaped WVU Graduate James Merrill’s Journey

For many nontraditional students, earning a college degree does not follow a straight path. Careers, military service, family responsibilities, and financial realities often stretch education across years rather than semesters.

Few stories reflect that reality more clearly than West Virginia University alumnus James Merrill.

Before building a multi-state business based in Morgantown, West Virginia, Merrill served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and later retired as a captain with the West Virginia State Police. Along the way, he completed his online Regents Bachelor of Arts, R.B.A., degree from WVU in 2007 while balancing a demanding professional career.

Years later, he returned to WVU again to earn a master’s degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in corporate and organizational communication before continuing to grow the company he leads today, Hasten Services LLC, into a business operating across West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Arizona.

For Merrill, education was never separate from work or life experience. It became part of how he continued building both.

Inside Hasten Services LLC’s downtown Morgantown headquarters, the details reflect Merrill’s personality and priorities. The building’s waiting area is staged as a living room decorated with a turntable and a TV mounted above a fireplace, almost as if you’re being welcomed into James’s home.

The walls are adorned with things that mean something to him: memorabilia from his service in the Marines, paintings he’s made with his daughter, and countless references to West Virginia. Shared spaces are designed with employees in mind, from the stocked kitchen to a weight room complete with a sauna.

The atmosphere feels more community-oriented than corporate, which mirrors the leadership philosophy Merrill describes throughout his career.

That commitment to his roots and the people around him helped grow the company from a small janitorial operation into a multi-service business overseeing security, project management, and general contracting work across four states.

But Merrill does not describe that growth as something that happened quickly.

Instead, he talks about progress in smaller, more meaningful steps.

“I understood early on that I didn’t need to accomplish everything immediately,” Merrill said. “You take one class at a time, one degree at a time, one contract at a time. Eventually you look back and realize how far you’ve come.”

That perspective started long before he became a business owner.

"You take one class at a time, one degree at a time, one contract at a time. Eventually you look back and realize how far you’ve come."

James Merrill

Early Life and Career

Merrill grew up in a family of 11 children, near the younger end of the group. Resources were limited, and he remembers early life feeling uncertain at times.

“We were pretty poor, and life was hard growing up,” he said.

Watching different personalities navigate difficult situations taught him how to read people early, a skill that would later shape both his leadership style and his business instincts.

“I was a quiet child, but I observed everything,” he said. “I learned early on that if I wanted something, I had to figure out how to get there.”

No matter the circumstances, James’s belief that education was important remained consistent, even if he did not yet know direction life would take him.

After high school, Merrill joined the United States Marine Corps and later entered law enforcement, eventually retiring as a captain with the West Virginia State Police. Unlike many traditional college students, he pursued higher education gradually while balancing work and personal responsibilities.

That made West Virginia University’s online Regents Bachelor of Arts, R.B.A. program a natural fit.

“What I loved about the R.B.A. program was that it was built for nontraditional students,” Merrill said. “I took classes here and there over a long period of time to get the prerequisites and eventually complete the degree,” which he did in 2007 while continuing to work in law enforcement.

Bringing Professional Experience into the Classroom

For Merrill, his experiences in the Marine Corps and law enforcement shaped how he approached learning and what he hoped to gain from it and could apply that to his studies.

“I think there’s value both in formal education and in real-life experience,” he said. “Trade work and practical experience are just as important. I wanted the best of both worlds.”

Rather than looking for the easiest path through the degree, Merrill chose courses he could apply directly to his work. Classes in psychology, sociology, and behavioral analysis helped him better understand situations he encountered professionally. Writing and communication courses later became essential as he moved into business ownership.

“If you can’t communicate clearly or write a strong proposal, that can hurt you professionally,” he said. “If you can't tell a story or you can't articulate your words to paper, that could cause you problems.”

Even subjects some students dismiss as unnecessary become practical later in life.

“I hear people say math isn't important in their lives,” Merrill lamented. "But in mine, especially for a general contractor, math has been a skill that I've continued to lean on heavily. Estimating, square footage, roofing calculations, all of those matter.”

His professional experience also changed the way he participated in class discussions.

“What made the R.B.A. unique for me was that I already had life experience,” he said. “Professors would ask questions and I could provide real-world, methodical answers.”

The R.B.A. degree itself was never the final goal. As James started thinking more seriously about entrepreneurship, he returned to WVU to earn a master’s degree in Communications Studies with an Area of Emphasis in Comm Studies - Corp and Organizational Comm to help him start a new chapter.

“I always knew I wanted to own a company,” he said. “I just didn’t know what kind of company it would become.”

Building a Business by Understanding People

The company Merrill leads today did not begin with a large expansion plan.

Hasten Services LLC started as a janitorial business, but over time, clients began asking for additional services, including security, project management, and general contracting work.

“When I started the janitorial side of the business, I researched why similar companies failed so I could avoid those mistakes,” he said.

That habit of observation and research became central to the company’s growth. Rather than forcing expansion irresponsibly, Merrill adapted based on experience, relationships, and market demand.

“Over the years, our vision and mission evolved into what the company is today,” he said.

As the company expanded across multiple states, communication became even more important. Merrill credits both his leadership experience and academic background in communication with helping him manage teams across locations and maintain company culture when distance is a factor.

“Communication becomes even more important when you expand,” he said. “Sometimes you have to rely on Zoom, phone calls, or texts, but text communication can easily be misunderstood.”

Inside the office, Merrill works intentionally to create the type of environment he values as a leader.

“Stress starts at the top,” he said. “If leadership is stressed, employees become stressed. We’re up to 50-60 employees at any given time and I want them all to feel comfortable.”

That philosophy also shapes how he approaches hiring. Merrill often looks beyond resumes for qualities such as discipline and curiosity and that shows in the members of his team. He also knows that not everyone has had access to the same resources and opportunities, so he sees people as more than their past experiences.

“If a veteran walks through my door, it’s hard for me to turn them away because I’m a veteran too,” he said. “Sometimes great people come along even when you’re not actively hiring.”

James understands that sometimes a chance to prove themselves is all people need He is willing to help those who need a break, whether that’s with advice, mentorship, and in some cases, a job.

That connection to people is shown in his commitment to supporting his community.

Staying Connected to West Virginia

Although Merrill’s company now operates in multiple states, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Arizona, he intentionally chose downtown Morgantown as its headquarters because of its connection to WVU and the surrounding community. For James, living in Morgantown is a point of pride, so he is committed to helping the local community, and the town itself, succeed.

“Community is extremely important,” he said. “When you start working with the community, you have to be humble and give back.”

James has had a presence at many community events, whether that’s his company building beds for those in need or inspiring up and coming entrepreneurs..

Over the years, he has mentored WVU students, spoken with university groups, and participated in regional initiatives alongside WVU and local organizations. One student he mentored eventually joined his company, and another former WVU student and Mountaineers basketball player became Hasten Services, LLC’s President of Operations.

For Merrill, success has become less about personal accomplishment and more about helping other people grow.

“I tell employees all the time, whether you work for me for one day or 10 years, I want you to leave better than when you arrived,” he said. “The more successful I become, I make sure the people around me are just as successful.”