As a child, when people asked Randy Berk what he wanted to be when he grew up, he bounced between two different answers. A large part of him wanted to be an artist, while another wanted to be a farmer, inspired by his parents who grew up on farms in the midwest during the Great Depression. “God gave me the desires of my heart, and He led me to a job that resonates with both passions,” he said. Berk discovered his calling at Azusa Pacific University 45 years ago, and has found joy in it ever since.
Berk grew up in San Diego. After high school he attended community college, unsure of what career he should pursue at 21-years-old. Berk met and married Kathleen, and the couple moved to Azusa. Berk worked a few short term jobs before a friend in his church group who worked at APU suggested he apply. He started working at APU in 1979.
At 23-years-old, Berk joined the grounds crew and was promoted to leading the department in 1984. He finished his degree in art in 1985. Berk discovered elements of design that he still applies as a landscaper today. In 2006 he became a certified arborist.
Berk currently serves as the manager of Landscape Services. His job includes oversight of all the grounds, cataloging the plant varieties on campus, and maintaining the luscious flowers that grow in nearly every corner of APU. “I really love working out on the field and driving the tractor,” Berk said.
Environmental stewardship is important to Berk, and he considers it the culmination of what his work entails. Collaborating with staff members to keep stewardship at the forefront creates a rewarding atmosphere for Berk to pursue his goals in. Together, he and many staff members have reduced the waste that is sent to landfills by recycling and creating mulch.
Looking back at his life and career, Berk is immensely grateful for the opportunities APU has provided him to engage in a vocation he loves, that has simultaneously allowed him time to support and spend time with his five children. In 2008, Berk’s wife passed away after battling breast cancer. “It was a really difficult season to walk through, but God provided.” Berk later went on to marry Michelle, the housing services coordinator in APU’s Office of Residence Life. The Berks have been married for 15 years, and the couple now has eight children and seven grandchildren.
In his free time, Berk spends a lot of time socializing with friends he’s made at APU over the years. “What I’ll miss most when I retire is the social aspect of being at APU. I’m so grateful for the friendships that have developed throughout my time here,” he said. Berk has enjoyed going to the cafeteria for lunch over the last 45 years at APU. “I’ve sat with many faculty and staff members, and at one point I started referring to these weekly lunches as Scholarly Tuesdays, where we’d engage in such great conversations.”
In January, Berk will retire after serving APU for more than 45 years. Interviewing him was bittersweet and eye-opening to me. For Berk to devote his whole life and career to APU shows how committed he is to not only the school’s mission, but pursuit of building community. I’m grateful I got to meet him before his retirement, and I know I’m not the only one who will miss his smile and wave when he drives by on the tractor.
When asked what he’d like readers to know about his story, Berk paused, thoughtfully pondering his response, holding back tears. “APU’s been a really great place to invest my life. It’s been amazing for my family and faith. I hope I’ve had a positive impact here. It hasn’t just been a job. It’s a calling, and I’m very thankful.”