Following much political turmoil, Dr. Bradford Knapp was hired in 1923 to lead the college, which had grown to more than 2,000 students.

Knapp, former chief of extension work with USDA, left his job as the dean of agriculture at the University of Arkansas to become president at the Oklahoma A.& M. College. He served until 1928 and worked to restore confidence in the institution and encourage students to get to know him.

Agriculture, engineering and home economics received special upgrading efforts from Knapp, who also placed special emphasis on increasing faculty morale and developing the college’s first budgeting system.

Knapp regularly visited farmers statewide and developed short courses to bring them to campus. He linked the college to radio station KRFU in Bristow by purchasing remote transmission equipment to provide regular educational broadcasts, extension and institute information. His extension efforts attracted widespread attention and he was a favorite of farmers.