[4] It was at Cheyney where Vance became a lifelong member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and built a life-long friendship with Ed Bradley.

[3] Vance began his news career as a reporter for the Philadelphia Independent newspaper and WHAT-AM radio station,[5] while simultaneously teaching English at Overbrook High School.

[9] Beginning in 1989, Vance was part of the longest-running anchor team in Washington D.C. television, alongside co-anchor and health reporter Doreen Gentzler.

Vance’s 11pm newscasts with Gentzler regularly drew more viewers than the prime-time shows of the three major cable news networks combined (CNN, Fox and MSNBC).

[1] Vance and sports anchor George Michael became internet sensations after laughing at a model who fell twice on a runway, resulting in millions of views.

[11] Vance earned 19 Emmy Awards, one of which was for his coverage of the 1977 Hanafi Siege of three buildings in downtown Washington, D.C.[12] He also won an Emmy for his coverage of the January 1982 crash of Air Florida Flight 90 in the Potomac River that killed 78 people and a Metrorail train derailment the same day, which killed three people.

In 2014, Jim Vance received the Board of Governor's Award for outstanding achievement and community service.

[18] One night in 1987, Vance sat on the ground by the Potomac River at Great Falls, stuck his bird-hunting shotgun in his mouth, and considered pulling the trigger.

[3] College friend Ed Bradley encouraged him to seek therapy[3] and Vance went for help at a dingy downtown support group "full of old-school drunks" the next day.