Ian Baucom, Higher Education Leader, Enterprising Administrator, and Prolific Scholar, Named President of Middlebury.

Spring 2025 Commencement Speakers

Headshot of Yuko Matsuoka Harris. Yuko has her arms crossed and is wearing a white jacket with red and purple designs on sleeve over a black shirt.
Yuko Matsuoka Harris

The Spring Commencement speaker is Yuko Matsuoka Harris. Ms. Harris is renowned in Japan as translator of the world best-selling Harry Potter series. She translated all seven books in the series and related works by JK Rowling.  She was a consultant on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films, and also translated the book of Rowling’s successful theatre play The Cursed Child.

Ms. Matsuoka is the only translator who is also a publisher of Harry Potter and other works of the magic world created by JK Rowling. Previously, she was a leading international conference interpreter. She taught interpretation at Sophia University in Tokyo, then at MIIS, where she also obtained a graduate degree in international policy studies.

Ms. Matsuoka has actively supported several causes. She sponsored an international seminar of patients and medical researchers on ALS and Motor Neuron Disease in Japan. She established the Swiss-based Magic Libraries Foundation to promote reading for children in disadvantaged regions and the training of translators in minority languages, as well as an association to promote Japanese culture. She is now working to create a Centre for East-West Cultural Exchanges based in France. 

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The student speaker will be determined the graduating class through a vote. Details on nomination and voting process will be provided by Student Services.