Which university gave Li'l Sebastian an honorary degree?

The University of Notre Dame gave Li’l Sebastian an honorary degree.

In Pawnee’s exaggerated local mythology, Li’l Sebastian is more than a beloved miniature horse. Leslie and Ron list his honorary degree from Notre Dame as evidence of his extraordinary status, even though Ben Wyatt cannot understand why the town treats the animal as a cultural icon.

The reference is to the University of Notre Dame, the prominent Catholic research university in South Bend, Indiana. Using the shorter name “Notre Dame” is the standard answer in the show and clearly identifies the institution.

The joke works because the honor is presented alongside other absurd claims about Li’l Sebastian’s fame, including his massive popularity at the Harvest Festival and his supposed national photographic prominence. The answer should not be confused with Indiana University, Purdue University, or Ball State; those are distractors rather than institutions connected to his fictional honorary degree.