Contact: Rev. Rob Schenck (pronounced "Shank"), 202-656-1252

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The college where slain officer Rafael "Ralph" Ramos was an online student preparing to be a chaplain will grant their student his degree posthumously.

"It's only right," said President Michael Adams of Faith Evangelical College and Seminary, located in Tacoma, Washington. "Officer Ramos was a very good student, earnest, dedicated. He was just two courses away from completing his program and he deserves to finish."

Officer Ramos, who had already completed a non-accredited diploma at another school, had been working toward an accredited B.A. in religion in order to meet requirements for the chaplaincy. His long-term plan was to enter full-time pastoral ministry after retirement. He and his wife, Maritza, were actively engaged in their church's marriage ministry among other places of service to the pastors and congregation at Christ Tabernacle on Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, NY.

President Adams will be represented at the Ramos funeral by a delegation led by Washington, DC based minister, Rev. Rob Schenck, D.Min., a distinguished alumnus of Faith Evangelical College and Seminary and president of Faith and Action in the Nation's Capital. Dr. Schenck is a civilian chaplain on Capitol Hill and chairs the Evangelical Church Alliance headquartered in Bradley, IL, an endorsing agency for police, military, and institutional chaplains.

Other members of the delegation include the Honorable (Rev. Dr.) Suzan Johnson-Cook, who was the first NYPD black female chaplain and most recently served as  3rd U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom under President Obama, Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition in Washington, and other New York pastors.

"Officer Ramos and his partner, Officer Liu, represent the very best among us," said Rev. Schenck. "They cared deeply about their city, their families, and their comrades. Officer Ramos also cared deeply for his church community and was actively engaged with it. He felt a special calling to be a chaplain but it was never to be realized because of a senseless act of violence. I'm honored to represent one of the institutions that worked with Officer Ramos to help him reach his goal."

"The chaplaincy would have been enormously complimented by an officer like Rafael Ramos," said Ambassador Johnson-Cook. "He had the call, the commitment, and the courage to be an excellent chaplain, wherever he would have served. We are all poorer for his absence, but we know Officer Ramos rests in peace having done his duty to love God and to love his neighbor."

"This is especially tragic because Officer Ramos was scheduled to graduate a chaplain training program on the day he was brutally killed," said Rev. Mahoney. "His family was so proud of him and he was admired by everyone that knew him. We are calling on Christians all over the country to remember these fallen heroes in prayer as we gather to celebrate the birth of the Savior whom Officer Ramos served above all else."

President Michael Adams of Faith Evangelical College and Seminary can be reached at 253-752-2020 or mjadams@faithseminary.edu, Dr. Schenck, 202-656-1252 or revschenck@gmail.com. Rev. Mahoney, 540-538-4741 or revmahoney@aol.com, Ambassador Johnson-Cook, 718-690-6777.