Faculty Principal - Residential College at West Ambler Johnston

Dr. Agmon received a B.A. in history and philosophy from Tel Aviv University, Israel, and an M.A and Ph.D. in history and anthropology from the University of Michigan. She is a scholar of French empire, with a focus on India and the Indian Ocean. Her book, A Colonial Affair: Commerce, Conversion, and Scandal in French India, was published by Cornell University Press in 2017. Her research has been supported by fellowships from the French government, the Huntington Library, and the American Philosophical Society, as well as the University of Michigan and Virginia Tech. Since joining the VT faculty in 2012, she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in French, European, and Global history. 

She joins the Residential College at West AJ with her partner, Dr. Dan Simundza, a faculty member in the Business Information Technology department, and their two young sons, Eli and Ido. Dr. Simundza serves as a Senior Fellow in Hickory House. 

You can contact Professor Agmon by email at WAJPrincipal@vt.edu or stop by her office in the atrium of the building at 1319 Ambler Johnston.

Faculty Principal’s Duties

The faculty principal is responsible for coordinating educational programs, fostering academic engagement, and enriching the residential college’s unique culture. They provide the academic vision of the residential college; they get to know residents and their individual interests, and they provide guidance throughout students' university careers.

The faculty principal develops and sponsors programs that support Student Affairs' aspirations for student learning, as well as the goals of the university's strategic plan. They also participate in educational and social programs sponsored by students and other staff members.